Thai Peanut Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)

Cold noodles, shredded chicken, and veggies tossed in a tangy peanut lime dressing create a refreshing dish.

# What You Need:

→ 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 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (approx. 0.5 oz)
07 - 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped (approx. 1.25 oz)
08 - 1 cucumber, julienned (optional)

→ Peanut Lime Dressing

09 - 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (approx. 2.8 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 grated fresh ginger
16 - 1 clove garlic, minced
17 - 2 to 3 tablespoons warm water (to thin dressing as needed)
18 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes or Sriracha (optional)

# Step-by-Step Directions:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but honestly takes less time than ordering takeout.
  • The dressing hits that perfect balance of creamy, tangy, and just spicy enough to keep things interesting.
  • Leftovers actually get better as the flavors meld, so you're not scrambling to eat it all the same day.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cold water rinse on the noodles—it stops them from clumping and keeps the whole dish from turning into a gluey mess.
  • The dressing needs to be whisked thoroughly and tasted before you add the noodles; it should taste slightly bold because the pasta will dilute it slightly once everything is tossed together.
03 -
  • Make the dressing while the noodles are still cooking—by the time everything is cooled and assembled, the flavors will have had time to meld and deepen instead of tasting freshly thrown together.
  • If your peanut butter is the natural kind with oil separation, warm it slightly before whisking so it incorporates smoothly into the dressing instead of lumping up.
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