Cold Peanut Sesame Noodles With Pan-Seared Chicken

Amarante

Fri, Apr 23 2021, 3:33 pm

This was delicious and essentially a one dish meal since it had veggies, carbs and chicken.

You can certainly make the sauce ahead of time and prep the veggies. Chicken is made ahead of time. Pasta needs to be cooled anyway.

Cold Peanut Sesame Noodles With Pan-Seared Chicken

Excerpt From: Sara Kate Gillingham - The Kitchn Cookbook

SERVES 4 AS A MAIN DISH OR 6 AS A SIDE DISH

Here’s something you probably crave and might never make: cold sesame noodles with a rich yet light peanut sauce. Hold the chicken if you’re a vegetarian, but otherwise, cook some chicken breasts on the stovetop in minutes, or experiment with other protein such as last night’s leftover sliced steak. This is the stuff of takeout dreams, straight from your own home kitchen.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons peanut oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
½ pound soba noodles
1 English (seedless) cucumber, about 12 inches long
2 medium carrots
5 scallions (white and light green parts), chopped
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

FOR THE SAUCE

¼ cup natural peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons sugar
½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of the peanut oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook the garlic and ginger for about 2 minutes, then remove and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil, increase the heat slightly, and add the chicken breasts. Cook until golden on each side, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Turn the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink inside and an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breasts reads 165°F. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to cool.

Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package directions, then drain and run under cool water. Peel and julienne (see this page) the cucumber and carrot. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE SAUCE

In a large bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, oil, sugar, pepper flakes, and reserved garlic and ginger. Add to the bowl with the sauce and toss to coat. Add the cucumber, carrots, scallions, and sesame seeds.

To serve, mound noodles onto individual plates. Slice the chicken into thin, diagonal strips and place on top of the noodles. Serve immediately. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 2 days.