Thai Peanut Noodle Salad with Chicken

Ingredients

  • Thai Kitchen brand stir-fry rice noodles (or any brand … recommend these or fettucini width because they’re a little wider. Cook 5-6 minutes per box instructions. Don’t let them get TOO soft or they’ll mush up too much when mixing with ingredients. 
  • Chopped Broccoli – 2-3 crowns – can be raw, but I like to blanch in boiling water for just about a minute – still crunchy, but a little more tender
  • Cooked chicken (grilled, sauteed, whatever) – about a pound +/-. I like to make the chicken as if I was making stir-fry, but don’t over season. Make sure FULLY thawed if it was frozen so you don’t get extra moisture. Smallish pieces, tossed in a little corn starch, salt & pepper, maybe powdered garlic/ginger. 
  • Peppers – small sweet ones are good, variety of colors to your taste – about 2 cups sliced how ya want.
  • Cilantro – most of a bunch, chopped fine
  • Fresh Thai Basil or regular basil (optional) – maybe 1/2 cup chopped fine
  • Green onions/scallions – about 1/2 cup chopped fine
  • Toss everything above together sorta gently in a big bowl so you don’t massacre the noodles
  • Peanut sauce (see below)

Peanut Sauce

I don’t have a recipe, and it turns out slightly different every time. USE a SEPARATE BOWL. Measurements below are approximate and to taste. I seem to make a little over 2 cups that works for the above amount of noodles, protein, & veg. Taste, taste, taste! as you go. 

  • Peanut butter1/2 cup
    (Optional – 1/4 cup PB and 1/4 Sunflower seed butter, which is a little sweeter)
  • Red Curry paste – the thick stuff – Hmmm … 2 big Tablespoons
  • Mush the nut butter and curry paste together
  • Sesame oil – 2ish Tablespoons
  • Mush the sesame oil together with the above (if you don’t do this and add the wetter ingredients, it’s really hard to incorporate the paste-y stuff with the wetter stuff). 
  • Coconut milk – maybe 1/4 cup? I use canned full fat. Coconut milk is not REQUIRED, but makes it a little more creamy and balances the acid of the vinegar and aminos
  • Coconut aminos2 T? (Can sub soy, but may need to add a little more sweetener)
  • Rice Vinegar2-3 T?
  • Sweet Chili Sauce (like Mae Ploy) 1 T
  • Hot chili sauce and/or Srirachaabout 1-2 T (to taste depending on your spice desire)
  • Lime juice – 1 large or 2 small limes … those little “True Citrus” lime packets work well too … use 1-2 packets.
  • Oil – Extra Virgin olive, a little melted coconut oil, whatever good oil you like – 1-2 T – makes the noodles not stick together
  • Optional “odd” ingredient – I used 2-3 Tablespoons of a citrus marinade … tasted a lot like tangy orange juice. 

Can be eaten HOT or COLD!