Thai Peanut Noodles
These Thai Peanut Noodles are big on flavor, full of goodness, and can be served warm, cold, or at room temperature.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the Noodles:
- 16 oz dry spaghetti noodles
- 2 tablespoons Asian toasted sesame oil, see notes
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeded, halved, and thinly sliced
- 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and sliced into thin strips 2 inches long
- 1 cup green onions, chopped
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
For the Peanut Sauce:
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup hot water
- 2 tablespoons Asian rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons regular soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons pure honey
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Asian toasted sesame oil
- salted peanuts, (optional garnish), chopped, or toasted sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, Sriracha chili sauce
Instructions
- Cook: In a large heavy pot, cook noodles in well-salted boiling water, according to package instructions. Rinse with cold water thoroughly. Drain well. Transfer to a large bowl and sprinkle with 2 TB Asian sesame oil. Toss well and set aside.
- Sauce: While pasta is cooking, prepare peanut sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients and whisk together in a bowl until fully incorporated. Set aside Note: sauce can be made in advance.
- Toss: Toss sauce with cooled noodles until well coated. Add bell pepper, cucumber, green onions, and shredded chicken, tossing to combine well. Can be covered and chilled or kept at room temp until ready to serve. Garnish as desired when ready to serve.
Notes
- You can also use linguine noodles. For the perfect noodle texture, cook the spaghetti or linguini noodles until they are just al dente.
- Asian sesame oil is very different from American sesame oil. You'll the dark, highly aromatic Asian sesame oil at most major grocery stores' ethnic aisles.
- Rinsing the cooked noodles with cold water not only stops the cooking process but also removes excess starch, which helps to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
- Don't skip the step of sprinkling the cooked and rinsed noodles with Asian toasted sesame oil. This keeps noodles from sticking.
- Feel free to customize your Thai Peanut Noodles by adding or omitting vegetables. You can also omit the chicken for a meatless version.
- Prepare the fresh vegetables and shred the rotisserie chicken in advance to save time. They can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days before using it.
- Making the peanut sauce in advance is a great time-saving tip. Feel free to make extra sauce if you want to serve more on the side.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 528kcal | Carbohydrates: 72.4g | Protein: 18.3g | Fat: 19.2g | Saturated Fat: 3.4g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 469.2mg | Fiber: 4.5g | Sugar: 12.4g