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Who’s afraid of the big bad wok? Stir fry anxiety is a thing- but don’t let it stand between you and your peanut noodles! I’ll take you through this deliciously saucy peanut chilli noodles with chicken recipe step-by-slow-step and prove that preparation is the key to Asian cooking. (chop)Stick with me!
Nuts off your menu? Chicken yaki udon is another noodle and veg one-pan wonder done in under 20 minutes. And NO NUTS!
I honestly had no idea that there is a whole group of cooks who scroll straight past stir fries without a second thought. Are you one of them??
As a recipe developer and committed stir fry fan (there are over 25 on the blog), this was profoundly troubling news. Were Vikalinka readers seriously missing out on some of the most nutritious, quick-to-table, kid-approved, and budget-friendly recipes on the blog? I had to get to the bottom of this.
After some light investigation, I revealed the following reasons as prime wok-blockers:
- stressful and intense cooking method
- too many sauces- and never the right ones
- noodles turn out soggy
- no wok
- too smoky
The good news? Every single issue can be solved with a little planning ahead!
- Peel, chop, mince, and mix sauces before firing up your wok. Then you don’t need to move at stir-fry speed! You can even line the ingredients up in the order they need to go in too.
- Plan and shop. While most Vikalinka recipes call for store cupboard staples, Asian dishes might require a specific condiment. But once you have the complete works, you’re golden (and the bottles last aaaages).
- First, cook the noodles and then rinse under cold water. Are you skipping the rinse??
- Use a cast-iron skillet or other heavy-based frying pan.
- Choose your oil wisely. Olive oil and butter have no place here. My go-to is neutral-tasting vegetable oil. Peanut or coconut will also keep the smoke low.
Now we’ve removed the obstacles, let’s get to wok!
Peanut butter noodles with chicken
Peanuts and chicken are a typical flavour combination found across Asia. Examples on this site include Indonesian chicken satay, Thai yellow chicken curry or grilled chicken salad, or Chinese peanut butter chicken. While this recipe doesn’t originate from any one region, it does nod respectfully to the East.
Peanut and chicken recipes offer a double protein punch, making these chicken peanut noodles a filling and healthy dinner option. Not to mention a tasty match made in culinary heaven; earthy and savoury peanuts bring out the natural sweetness of juicy chicken.
While some recipes call for whole peanuts for textural crunch, others, like this one, call for a simple jar of store-bought, smooth peanut butter. Opt for the no added salt, no added sugar, no added oil variety, just 100% nuts. It’s the closest in consistency and flavour to the peanut butter used in Asian dishes.
And lastly, as if you needed any more convincing, this Asian noodle dish is a failsafe choice for a school night meal. Bite-sized and boneless chicken breast, familiar and creamy peanut butter, and fun and frilly noodles? Triple threat! Just hold back the chilli flakes and sprinkle on top of the individual portions for those who tolerate them!
Important recipe tips and notes
- See 1) above! It’s the golden rule of stir frying.
- Chinese cabbage is ideal, but I used some leftover sweetheart and sliced it extra thin.
- I’ve used cheap and cheerful chicken, but feel free to be more adventurous and switch it up with shrimp, tofu or thin strips of pork or beef.
What goes with it
Chicken peanut butter noodles is everything you need for a balanced meal in one: protein (chicken and peanuts), plenty of plants (carrot, cabbage, green onions), carbs (egg noodles) in a lusciously savoury sauce.
But it’s simple enough to stretch this two-serving recipe to a full-scale banquet with these hard-to-resist starters and sides:
- 10-minute honey garlic shrimp
- Miso noodles with tenderstem broccoli
- Chicken and sweetcorn soup
- Crab fried rice
Storage and leftovers
Leftover peanut butter Asian noodles can be stored in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat in the wok with a splash of sesame oil and warm water to loosen.
More recipes to try
Peanut Chilli Noodles with Chicken
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.wok
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 125g / 4 oz medium egg noodles, (chow mein noodles)
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated
- 4 cloves garlic, grated or crushed
- 1/4 head cabbage, sliced thinly (1.5 cups)
- 1 large carrot, julienned
- 3 green onion, cut into 2 inch pieces plus 1 onion for serving
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter, heaped
- 3 tbsp hot water
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp This is an affiliate link.dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp This is an affiliate link.hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- While the noddles are cooking mix the sauce ingredients and set aside till needed.
- Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a wok and add the chicken seasoned with salt, cook while stirring until cooked all the way through. Remove from the pan to a separate plate and set aside till later.
- Add the remaining vegetable oil to the wok, add the grated ginger and minced garlic and stir fry for a few seconds, then add the carrots and cabbage and stir fry over high heat for 5 minutes until the vegetables are slightly browned but still retain their bite, then add the cooked noodles, chicken, green onions and pour the peanut sauce all over and mix to combine. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and additional sliced green onions and serve with Chinese chilli oil on the side.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
