Peanut Chicken Stir Fry With Noodles

peanut chicken with veggies and noodles on a plate.

4.94 from 15 votes

The 4 main ingredients in this peanut chicken stir fry are chicken, veggies, peanut sauce and noodles. The beauty of this dish is that you can modify any of them to what you you have on hand. Not to mention a few good shortcuts.

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Total Time35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings (change as needed): (or 4 larger portions)

Author: Cheryl Avrich

US Measures - Metric

Ingredients

4 ounces pasta (fettucine, spaghetti, rice noodles, lo mein noodles etc) (about 1/4 of some pasta boxes)
2 teaspoon olive oil (you might need 1 extra teaspoon)
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut in bite size pieces
salt and black pepper
3 cups broccoli slaw or kale slaw (or more)
1 red pepper, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 cups fresh baby spinach or more (optional)

Peanut Sauce (Note 1 for shortcut)

3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce - low sodium
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (or lemon)
1/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey or more to taste
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon each, grated ginger and garlic
2 teaspoons sriracha (or more to taste) (or sub chili garlic sauce or red pepper flakes)

Optional Garnishes

sesame seeds, chopped green onion, cilantro and/or squeeze of lemon or lime

US Measures - Metric

Instructions

COOK NOODLES: Cook noodles in salted boiling water or as per package directions. Drain - reserving a cup of pasta water - and set aside.
MAKE PEANUT SAUCE: Place all peanut sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smoothly combined. Taste and adjust to your liking.
STIR FRY CHICKEN: Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Season generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet (preferably non stick) to medium high. Stir fry chicken for 3-6 minutes (depending on size of pieces) until cooked through. Do not overcook and do not overcrowd chicken in skillet (cook in batches if necessary). Remove chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm.
STIR FRY VEGETABLES: Add a little more oil if needed and heat to medium high. Add green onions, peppers and broccoli slaw. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes until tender.
FINISH STIR FRY: If noodles have cooled an clumped togehter, run them under hot water in a colander to loosen and warm them - then drain. Add cooked chicken, noodles and peanut sauce to the vegetables. Add baby spinach if using. Stir to combine everything and cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through and spinach wilts. Add a bit of pasta water at a time until you get the consistency you want (you will likely not need it all). Taste and adjust seasoning. If you have rinsed your noodles or used rice noodles, you will likely need to add salt or more soy sauce. Sprinkle on any garnishes you like and serve.

Notes

To make a simpler peanut sauce: Whisk together, 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons warm water, 1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce (plus red pepper flakes if you like it spicy). Alternatively, mix together peanut butter, a bit of water, sweet Thai chili sauce and a squeeze of lemon. In both cases, taste and adjust to your liking. Of course, you can also buy a good peanut sauce in a jar for the ultimate shortcut!
Recipe variations
- Chicken: Use boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Thighs are more flavorful and forgiving, but breasts are easier for this dish as there is no need to clean off the fat. Substitutes: Sliced pork or beef or cooked rotisserie chicken (shortcut). For a vegetarian version, try tofu or more veggies instead of chicken.
- Slaw: Buy a package of fresh broccoli slaw or kale slaw which usually contain other veggies like carrots, brussels sprouts and red cabbage. You can also use a simple plain cabbage slaw.
- Other vegetables: Use whatever veggies you like such as red bell peppers, snap peas, green onions, asparagus, zucchini, shaved carrots, bok choy, broccoli, etc. Cut them small as they will be quickly stir frying with the slaw. Or skip extra veggies and use more slaw (shortcut)
- Peanut sauce: You can make it as spicy or mild as you like with more or less sriracha (or red pepper flakes if you prefer). Or use a good store-bought peanut sauce (shortcut)
- Garnish: I like to add cilantro and sesame seeds
Make Ahead: The dish can be made ahead, stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days and warmed in the microwave or on the stovetop (add a splash of water to loosen it up). It's great cold too.

Nutrition values are estimates that include rice noodles and chicken breasts plus the remaining ingredients.