If you have ever had Thai peanut noodles, you are well aware of their addictive quality. If you've been on the hunt for an easy peanut sauce for noodles at home, these peanut sauce stir fry noodles are probably going to be your next addiction. To make these pantry and weeknight dinner friendly, we use some humble spaghetti instead of traditional rice noodles, which still cling onto all that peanut sauce goodness. The best part about this dish is once you have mastered the sauce, the options are endless! If you are a fan of quick lunches and dinners, try these Korean chicken bowls.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
They are quick! There's nothing I love more than a quick stir fry dish! If you're working late, or need a quick and delicious lunch while working at your desk, these are a go-to.
There are no rules! Anything goes here. Once you have the sauce ready to go, you can literally add any vegetables and proteins to the mix. Stir fries are so versatile for this very reason.
They are full of flavour! Asian foods are all about balance, and I promise you that these noodles are balanced. Sweet, salty, spicy and a little acid - perfection if you ask me.
Ingredients
- Spaghetti: These noodles use regular spaghetti noodles. I find that they have the perfect body to stand up to the sauce and the stir fry, but if you have chow mein noodles or yellow noodles that you can find refrigerated at the asian grocery store, those would also be perfect.
- Chicken breast: I used rotisserie chicken breast in this recipe, for the sake of keeping it quick and low prep. That being said, if you prefer to use raw chicken breast, it will add a negligible amount of time to cooking, as long as you slice it relatively thin.
- Ginger and Garlic: I cannot make any kind of stir fry without ginger and garlic. Fresh ginger and garlic are optimal, but. if you have ginger or garlic paste, those work as well. TIP: peel your fresh ginger with a spoon!
- Vegetables of choice: This right here is your opportunity to use up any vegetables that have perhaps, seen better days, or haven't seen the light outside of your fridge since you bought them. You know exactly what I'm talking about. There are no rules here!
- Smooth peanut butter: Smooth is the way to go here! I do not discriminate when it comes to nut butters, but I find that smooth peanut butter is optimal for a silky sauce. If all you have on hand is crunchy peanut butter, it'll work but you will have a little additional texture in the sauce.
- Soy Sauce, Sesame oil and rice wine vinegar: A stir fry classic. If you are watching the salt, feel free to use low sodium soy sauce. It will still add enough of a salty element for the sauce.
- Chicken broth and pasta water: Peanut butter is thicc - yes thicc with two c's as the youngsters say. What I am trying to say is you need both of these elements to loosen up the sauce. The pasta water starch makes the sauce extra creamy, and helps the sauce cling to the pasta.
- Chilli garlic Paste: You can find this in most of your ethnic food aisles at the grocery store. If not, feel free to use sriracha.
- Korean chilli flakes: Believe it or not, these are more fruity than spicy. They add a nice flavour to the sauce, but if you can't find them you can either leave them out, or use some regular chilli flakes. Note - you will need far less than 1 tablespoon of red chilli flakes if you choose to substitute, as korean pepper flakes are much milder!
Instructions
- Boil pasta / noodles: Boil the pasta in liberally salted water, until al dente [with a little bit of a bite still]. be sure to reserve the pasta water before you drain it!
- Saute the vegetables: In a large stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat, saute the vegetables, ginger, garlic and chicken in 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Mix the sauce: While the vegetables are sauteing, mix together the ingredients. for the sauce [with the exception of the pasta water]
- Mix together: Add the drained pasta to the skillet, and top with the sauce. While tossing, add in the pasta water and continue to toss. Enjoy your homemade peanut sauce stir fry noodles!
FAQ
First - substitute. the chicken broth for vegetable broth. You can use tofu instead of chicken!
You can make these peanut noodles and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
These noodles are reheat-able on the stove or in the microwave. I suggest adding some extra broth to loosen up the sauce, as when it is in the fridge it will likely get thicker.
Looking for more fast pasta dinners? Browse my full list of 30-minute dinner recipes, including easy pasta dishes that are perfect for busy nights.
Spicy Thai Chicken & Peanut Noodles
Ingredients
- 375 g spaghetti
- 1 rotisserie chicken breast - cubed
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 red bell pepper - sliced
- 1 green bell pepper - sliced
- 1 cup snow peas - sliced in half
- 1 bunch scallions - roughly chopped
For Sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon korean chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon chilli garlic paste
- ½ cup pasta water
Instructions
- Mix the Sauce: Whisk together the ingredients for the sauce, and set aside.
- Boil the Noodles: Cook the noodles until al dente, in salted water. Reserve pasta water prior to draining.
- Make the Stir-Fry: While the noodles are cooking, saute the ginger, garlic, chicken and vegetables in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, in a large stainless steel skillet, over medium-high heat.
- Mix Together: Add the pasta, sauce, and pasta water and toss.
Callie says
These noodles were actually addicting.. the sauce was so tasty. I didn't have korean chilli flakes so I just added some sriracha instead - still awesome!!