June 17, 2024

Peanut Chicken Noodle Salad

Are we approaching the “it’s too hot to cook” stage of Summer yet?

We’ve had a few warm nights here in New England, but overall, it’s been relatively mild. Although I hear the temperatures are about to ramp up later this week. Luckily, I’ve got this Peanut Chicken Noodle Salad in my arsenal for a quick and easy dinner that’s light, crunchy and refreshing!

This Peanut Chicken Noodle Salad is a combination of two of my other favorite Summer recipes: these Thai Chicken Cabbage Wraps with Peanut Sauce and this Crunchy Cold Noodle Salad. I took parts from both of those recipes and made one big bowl of deliciousness that features sautéed ground chicken, rice noodles, crunchy veggies, fresh herbs and a spoon-licking good peanut dressing.

The dressing might be my favorite part of this recipe. It’s super flavorful and made with soy sauce (or tamari if you’re gluten-free), rice vinegar, fresh lime juice, honey, creamy peanut butter and fish sauce. Don’t fear the fish sauce! It does not make this dressing taste like fish. But it does give it extra depth of flavor and umami-goodness. I always add a couple splashes of fish sauce to my Thai-inspired dishes. It’s a condiment that’s worth keeping in your refrigerator.

This Peanut Chicken Noodle Salad is not super-duper saucy. The dressing coats all the ingredients nicely, but the noodles aren’t swimming in it. This is my personal preference. I don’t need pools of dressing at the bottom of my bowl. But if you’re someone who likes your noodles extra saucy, then I suggest making a bit more of the dressing. I would suggest trying 1.5X the amounts listed in the ingredient list below.

Cooking methods for rice noodles vary depending on the brand. Some will instruct you to just soak the noodles. While others will have you cook them in boiling water for a couple minutes. Just follow the instructions on the package for whichever brand you purchase.

I like to eat this Peanut Chicken Noodle Salad at room temperature. Unless of course it’s EXTRA hot out, then I’ll eat it chilled straight from the refrigerator!

Cheers,

Liz

Get the Recipe:

Peanut Chicken Noodle Salad

At a Glance:

Yield: Serves about 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Print

Ingredients

For the Dressing:

• 1/4 cup light olive oil or vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (or tamari if gluten-free)
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 1 tsp. fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp. pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. salt

For the Salad:

• 1/2 tablespoon light olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 lb ground chicken
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 (8-ounce) package thin rice noodles
• 2-3 cups shredded red cabbage
• 1 cucumber, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• About 1/4 cup salted peanuts

Instructions

1. Add all the ingredients for the dressing to a medium bowl. Whisk until fully combined. Set aside.
2. Warm the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and cook, breaking up the chicken into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until it’s no longer pink, about 6-7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and ginger and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove the skillet from the heat. Give the dressing a stir and then spoon about 4 tablespoons of it into the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Then add them to a large bowl. Add all the remaining dressing and toss to coat.
4. Add the red cabbage, cucumber, scallions, mint, basil and cooked chicken mixture to the noodles. Toss to combine. 
5. This salad can be enjoyed at room temperature. Or chilled in your refrigerator before serving. Garnish with peanuts before serving.
6. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 1-2 days.