Thai Peanut Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Tender chicken and crisp veggies meet noodles in a creamy, tangy peanut lime dressing.

# What You’ll Use:

→ Protein & Pasta

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (approx. 10.5 oz)
02 - 10.5 oz spaghetti or rice noodles

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
04 - 1 cup shredded carrots (approx. 3.5 oz)
05 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
06 - ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (approx. 0.5 oz)
07 - ¼ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped (approx. 1.25 oz)
08 - 1 cucumber, julienned (optional)

→ Peanut Lime Dressing

09 - ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter (approx. 3 oz)
10 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
11 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
12 - 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
13 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
14 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
15 - 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
16 - 1 garlic clove, minced
17 - 2 to 3 tablespoons warm water (to thin dressing as needed)
18 - ½ teaspoon chili flakes or Sriracha (optional)

# How-To:

01 - Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
02 - Whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, honey or maple syrup, lime juice, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and chili flakes if using; add warm water gradually until smooth and pourable.
03 - In a large bowl, toss cooked noodles, shredded chicken, bell pepper, carrots, spring onions, and cucumber if desired.
04 - Pour dressing over salad and toss thoroughly to coat all components evenly.
05 - Sprinkle chopped cilantro and roasted peanuts over the top. Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes to enhance flavors.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes better cold, so you can make it ahead and actually relax before people arrive.
  • The dressing clings to every strand of pasta without getting gummy or dry.
  • You can toss in whatever vegetables are about to go soft in your fridge and it still works.
02 -
  • If you do not rinse the noodles after cooking, they will stick together in one giant blob and no amount of dressing will save you.
  • Add the warm water to the dressing slowly, because peanut butter can go from thick to soupy in one extra tablespoon.
  • Let the salad sit in the fridge for at least twenty minutes before serving, the flavors need time to settle into each other.
03 -
  • Toast your peanuts in a dry pan for two minutes before chopping them, it makes them taste richer and smell like a street market.
  • If the dressing splits or looks grainy, add a teaspoon of warm water and whisk hard until it comes back together.
  • Use kitchen shears to cut the cilantro and spring onions right over the bowl, it is faster and you do not have to wash a cutting board.
Go Back