Chicken noodle salad with spicy peanut sauce
Indulge in the delightful flavors of chicken noodle salad drizzled with a spicy peanut sauce, bursting with tantalizing taste sensations.
Ingredients:
- lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 medium)
- scallion
- garlic cloves, smashed
- 1" piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
- cup smooth peanut butter
- cup soy sauce
- cup well-mixed chili crisp
- Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
- tsp. sugar
- Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
- oz. fresh or dried wheat noodles (such as ramen)
- Toasted sesame oil (for drizzling)
- Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
- lb. romaine (about 2 hearts or 1 head), thinly sliced
- English hothouse cucumber, sliced on a diagonal, julienned lengthwise
- scallions, finely chopped
- Chili crisp (for serving; optional)
Instructions:
- Start by putting 1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts (roughly 2 medium-sized ones), 1 scallion, 3 smashed garlic cloves, and a 1" piece of ginger (peeled and thinly sliced) in a medium saucepan. Fill the pot with water until all the ingredients are covered by an inch. Bring the water to a boil, then turn off the heat. Cover the pot and let everything sit for 20 minutes.
- Using tongs, move the chicken and garlic to a cutting board and let them cool down. Take out about ¼ cup of the poaching liquid (you won't need all of it) and set it aside. You can either discard the remaining liquid or strain it and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days to use as a stock later on.
- In a medium bowl, combine ⅓ cup of creamy peanut butter, ⅓ cup of soy sauce, ¼ cup of well-stirred chili crisp, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the reserved poaching liquid. Season the peanut sauce with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Set the sauce aside.
- Prepare 6 oz. of fresh or dried wheat noodles (like ramen) in a pot of boiling water according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain them in a colander and rinse under cold water. Drizzle with around 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil to prevent sticking and toss to coat. Set the noodles aside.
- Shred the chicken finely and mash the garlic using a chef's knife. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, garlic, and ¼ cup of the reserved peanut sauce. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Add 1 lb. of romaine lettuce (around 2 hearts or 1 head, thinly sliced), 1 English cucumber (sliced diagonally and julienned lengthwise), most of the 3 chopped scallions, the reserved noodles, and the remaining peanut sauce. Gently toss everything together to ensure everything is well coated.
- Transfer the salad to a serving dish. Garnish with the remaining scallions and serve with chili crisp on the side for drizzling, if desired.
Summary:
- Calories: 2530 kcal
- Fat: 118 g
- Protein: 164 g
- Carbs: 214 g
- Potassium: 4883 mg
- Magnesium: 591 mg