Thai Peanut Noodles with Homemade Peanut Sauce — These peanut noodles are easy, ready in 20 minutes, and packed with so much flavor from the peanut butter, ginger, and sesame oil!
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Easy Thai Peanut Noodles
I love peanut sauce. I don’t even need the chicken, noodles, or vegetables. I could eat just the peanut sauce by the spoonful.
Homemade Thai peanut sauce makes everything taste amazing including simple rice noodles and vegetables. It’s so easy to make at home, takes two minutes to whisk together, it’s far more cost-effective than those small storebought jars, and you control the ingredients. I adapted the peanut sauce portion of today’s recipe from my Peanut Noodles with Vegetables.
The Thai peanut noodles are easy, ready in 20 minutes, and packed with so much flavor from the peanut butter, ginger, and sesame oil. Sesame oil provides the classic peanut sauce flavor profile and it’s a must-have.
There’s awesome texture contrast between the crispy sugar snap peas, crunchy carrots and peanuts, the tender chicken, and soft rice noodles. Look for rice noodles (sometimes called pad thai noodles) in the Asian aisle of mainstream grocery stores.
What’s in Peanut Noodles?
To make these Thai peanut noodles drenched in homemade peanut sauce, you’ll need:
- Rice noodles
- Creamy peanut butter
- Honey
- Sesame oil
- Apple cider vinegar
- Ground ginger
- Cayenne pepper
- Olive oil
- Chicken breasts
- Sugar snap peas
- Shredded carrots
- Red bell pepper
- Fresh cilantro
- Peanuts
How to Make Peanut Noodles
To make these Thai peanut noodles, you’ll first need to cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions. Then, whisk together the homemade peanut sauce.
Cook the diced chicken in an oiled skillet, making sure to season the meat with salt and pepper beforehand. Add a little peanut sauce to the skillet and let it bubble for about a minute before transferring the chicken and sauce to a bowl with the cooked noodles.
Add the veggies and remaining Thai peanut sauce to the skillet and let the mixture cook until the veggies have softened slightly. Toss everything together, then garnish with cilantro and peanuts before serving.
Can I Omit the Chicken?
Yes, if you’d rather have veggie-packed peanut sauce noodles minus the peanut chicken you’re welcome to omit it.
Can I Add Extra Veggies?
Yes, but you may want to make a little extra sauce to ensure everything gets tossed evenly in it.
Tips for Making Thai Peanut Noodles
I used regular peanut butter for the homemade peanut sauce and not all-natural peanut butter. Even with the honey, I didn’t find the Thai peanut sauce too sweet. But you’re welcome to use whatever peanut butter you prefer.
If you don’t have rice noodles on hand or can’t find them at your local grocery store, you may be able to use another thin pasta like angel hair or thin spaghetti. Your Thai peanut noodles won’t be remotely authentic, but they should still taste good.
Peanut sauce noodles are great warm but also tastes great chilled. The flavors develop over time and it tastes even better the next day. And homemade always tastes better than takeout.
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Peanut Chicken with Peanut Noodles
Ingredients
Peanut Sauce
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 to 2 teaspoons ground ginger, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
- pinch cayenne pepper, optional and to taste
Peanut Chicken & Noodles
- 8 ounces rice noodles, sometimes called pad thai noodles, cooked according to package directions
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces and seasoned with salt and pepper
- 1 cup sugar snap peas or snow peapods
- ¾ to 1 cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup red bell peppers, diced small
- 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely minced
- ½ cup peanuts, roughly chopped if desired (I used honey-roasted peanuts)
Instructions
- Cook rice noodles according to package directions, drain, place in a large bowl; set aside. Tip – After the noodles are in the bowl, drizzle a small amount of sesame oil over them to prevent them from sticking and clumping together.
- To a medium bowl add the peanut butter, sesame oil, apple cider vinegar, ginger, salt, pepper, optional cayenne, and whisk to combine until smooth and incorporated. Taste, check for seasoning and flavor balance, and make any necessary adjustments (i.e. more honey, more peanut butter, more salt, more sesame oil, etc.); set aside.
- To a large skillet, add the olive oil, chicken, evenly season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, flipping intermittently so all sides cook evenly. Cooking time will vary based on thickness of chicken breasts and sizes of pieces.
- Add about 1/4 cup of the peanut sauce to the skillet with chicken, using caution because it will bubble up. Allow it to bubble for about 45 to 60 seconds, stirring intermittently to coat all pieces of chicken evenly. Transfer the chicken including the sauce from the skillet into the bowl with noodles and toss to combine.
- Add the sugar snap peas, carrots, bell peppers, cilantro, peanuts, and drizzle in the remaining peanut sauce. Toss to combine and serve immediately.
Notes
- Dish will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days. Leftovers can be served chilled or reheated gently based on preference.
- Peanut sauce adapted from Peanut Noodles with Vegetables.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I want to try this and was just wondering if you used the all natural or regular peanut butter? I only ask because the “regular” has quite a bit of added sugar, so that with the honey I wouldn’t want it too sweet.
Please let me know :)
I use regular and even with the honey I don’t find it too sweet.
I adore peanut sauce. This recipe looks so delicious, I want it inside me ASAP! Is there something I can substitute for the ACV? It can be hard to find where I live.
Maybe just use a splash of regular vinegar or rice wine vinegar. Just a little vinegar of some sort should do the trick.
I cherish shelled nut sauce! Yet, here in England, you can’t discover it in each grocery store.
I am so with you on shelled nut sauce! Basically give me a dish and I’ll call it dinner yet, I am only for twofold the shelled nut with sauce AND noodles. This is decisively what I am requiring for lunch today! Stuck!
@Admin
I am so with you on shelled nut sauce! Simply give me a dish and I’ll call it supper!
yet, I am just for twofold the shelled nut with sauce AND noodles. This is precisely what I am needing for lunch today! Stuck!
regards
rakhi
This looks soooo much better than takeout. I love the fresh, crisp veggies and the chunks of chicken. I bet that peanut sauce is to die for, too!
Super good, I want peanut sauce on everything :)
I love peanut sauce! But here in England, you can’t find it in every supermarket. :(
I’ve never tried to cook with peanut… stuff before. I’m a novice at cooking, actually. But me and my wife have an Experimental Friday – it’s when I try new recipes and combine various ingredients. I love surprising her with a delicious meal, so I hope that this will turn well.
Cross your fingers for me :)
Me too, I love peanut sauce! This loos amazing!
I would inhale this entire bowl. And yes, that sauce. Gimme a straw!
We’d fight over the straw :)
I’m another peanut sauce and ginger fan. This looks like my kinda meal–quick and delicious.
Not surprised you love peanut sauce, too! And yes so easy and quick!
I could also eat peanut sauce with a spoon. I love it! And I love peanut sauce mixed with anything gingery. This looks great!
We’d have to fight over the spoon then…ha!
I have been known to order a side of plain peanut sauce at Thai restaurants even if my dish isn’t a peanut sauce dish because I love it so much. I LOVE IT. All the flavors are just Katie flavors; the peanut butter, the ginger, the heat, the ACV, all of it.
It’s interesting that with Asian dishes, there are certain ingredients that seem like they wouldn’t make a big difference in flavors because they are in the recipe in such small amounts. I agree that the sesame oil is critical, fish sauce is like that too, and a little goes a long way. I need to get some of peanut oil…and some of this sauce!
The sauce, omg, so good. I made extra purposely so that I could have it as a dip for the next day or two on things that you wouldn’t even think ‘go’ with peanut sauce. But it goes with everything for me! You in the Thai restaurant sounds like me :)
And yes to certain ingredients being small in quantity but so critical to the overall flavor!
Yum…this looks so good and since I’m seeing this so early in the day…I’m going to be able to make it for dinner tonight…just need some cilantro.
Well that’s wonderful! LMK what you think of it!
I am so with you on peanut sauce! Just give me a bowl and I’ll call it dinner!
BUT I am all for double the peanut with sauce AND noodles. This is exactly what I am craving for lunch today! Pinned!
Thanks for pinning and glad to know we’re both huge peanut sauce lovers :)
I use your peanut sauce from years ago (it’s going over the last of some lightly steamed broccoli slaw today)! Your chicken and pasta recipes have been fantastic–can’t wait to try this one too!
That is beyond ironic that you’re using my OLD peanut sauce recipe today on the very day I post a new one! Well LMK what you think of this one when you try it!