Description
This Creamy Peanut-Lime Chicken With Noodles is a vibrant and flavorful dish combining tender chicken, smooth peanut butter sauce, and fresh herbs with zesty lime notes. Featuring thick rice noodles tossed in a creamy, slightly spicy peanut and chili sauce, complemented by crunchy peanuts and fresh cilantro and basil, it makes a perfect quick and satisfying meal with an Asian-inspired flair.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Noodles and Sauce
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 8 oz. thick rice noodles
- 1/2 cup no-sugar-added creamy peanut butter
- 3 tbsp. sweet chili sauce
- 2 tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. sriracha
- 1/2 tsp. finely grated lime zest
- 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup warm water
For the Chicken and Vegetables
- 2 small or 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8 oz.), chopped into 1/2″ pieces
- 2 tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
- 1 small red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 3 scallions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped peeled ginger
Garnishes
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup small fresh basil leaves
- 1/3 cup roasted salted peanuts, finely chopped
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the noodles: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and generously season it with kosher salt. Add the rice noodles and stir gently to prevent sticking. Remove the pot from heat and let the noodles soak until tender, about 13 to 15 minutes. Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Prepare the peanut-lime sauce: While the noodles cook, in a medium bowl whisk together the peanut butter, sweet chili sauce, tamari or soy sauce, sriracha, finely grated lime zest, fresh lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 cup warm water until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Set aside.
- Cook the chicken and vegetables: Heat vegetable or canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped chicken, season with salt, and cook while stirring frequently until the chicken is lightly golden in spots and almost cooked through, approximately 4 minutes. Then add the sliced red bell pepper, garlic, white parts of the scallions, and chopped ginger. Season with additional salt if needed. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until the peppers are tender, about 3 more minutes.
- Toss noodles with chicken and sauce: Add the drained noodles to the skillet with the chicken and vegetables. Toss well to combine everything evenly. Remove the skillet from heat and pour the reserved peanut-lime sauce over the noodles and chicken. Toss thoroughly to coat everything in the creamy sauce.
- Serve and garnish: Divide the noodles and chicken mixture among serving bowls. Top each bowl with the green parts of the scallions, fresh cilantro, fresh basil leaves, and finely chopped roasted salted peanuts. Serve with lime wedges on the side for an extra fresh citrus kick.
Notes
- For a gluten-free option, ensure to use tamari, which is gluten-free, instead of regular soy sauce.
- If you prefer a milder flavor, reduce or omit the sriracha.
- Rice noodles can be substituted with other gluten-free noodles like glass noodles or even zucchini noodles for a lower-carb variant.
- Make sure not to overcook the chicken to keep it tender and juicy.
- Fresh herbs like cilantro and basil add freshness; don’t skip them!
- Sweet chili sauce adds a balanced sweetness and heat; adjust amount to taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Keywords: peanut lime chicken, creamy peanut sauce, rice noodles, quick chicken dinner, Asian-inspired chicken noodles, peanut butter chicken
