Thai Peanut Noodles with chicken is a hearty, nutritious, and savory sweet meal that can be ready in under 30 minutes. Rice noodles, crispy chicken, and sauteed broccoli are all coated in a spicy Thai peanut sauce that is packed with flavor.
One of the many reasons to love these spicy peanut noodles with chicken is because of how versatile they are. You can add so many combinations of veggies and proteins that will taste great, including shrimp, pork, tofu, red bell peppers, cabbage, and so much more.
And if you love easy stir-fry recipes, be sure to try our tangy Orange Chicken, Basil Thai Chicken or this Teriyaki Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry. And for an easy 15 minutes chicken recipe, try this Sweet and Sour Chicken.
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Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken
This Thai Peanut Chicken Noodles recipe is one that I find myself craving a lot. The soft rice noodles combined with crunchy broccoli and spicy, sweet, creamy peanut sauce are just so perfect together.
Top with a little extra chopped peanuts, sliced green onions, and sesame seeds along with a squeeze of fresh lime juice for a quick and delicious hearty lunch or light dinner. Feel free to swap out the chicken for shrimp or tofu, or add different veggies and toppings according to what you like most.
Spicy Peanut Chicken Noodles Ingredients
- Chicken - you can use boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or chicken tenderloins for this recipe. They will need to be cut into 1” bite-sized pieces.
- Cold Water Brine - while you prepare the sauce, soak the chicken in a mixture of cold water and baking soda to keep it super tender.
- Cornstarch - this helps to keep the batter crispy once cooked, even with the orange sauce coating it.
- Soy Sauce - either regular or low sodium will work.
- Egg White - you will just need one egg white for the batter. It helps to keep the batter together.
- Pepper - freshly ground black pepper tastes great.
- Avocado Oil - you will need to use this to pan fry the chicken. Another kind of vegetable cooking oil would also work.
Thai Peanut Sauce Ingredients
- Soy Sauce - either regular, low sodium, or gluten free tamari would work.
- Chicken Broth - any kind of chicken broth or chicken stock will work great.
- Brown Sugar - light brown sugar works great to sweeten the sauce a touch.
- Garlic - freshly grated or minced is best.
- Ginger - freshly grated or minced ginger gives a stronger flavor here than ground ginger.
- Rice Wine Vinegar - this adds great flavor and a little sour. You can also add a bit of hoisin sauce if you want even more of a tangy flavor.
- Sriracha - you can use a little more or less depending on how spicy you like it.
- Sesame Oil - you only need a tiny bit to add loads of flavor to the sauce.
- Cornstarch - this helps thicken the sauce as it cooks which will then better coat the pieces of chicken.
- Peanut Butter -
- Broccoli - wash and cut the broccoli crowns into ¾” chunks. You could also use red bell peppers, shredded carrots, or shaved red cabbage.
- Peanuts - you can use raw or roasted and lightly salted peanuts. It’s best if you coarsely chop them, too.
How to Make Thai Peanut Chicken and Noodles
- Cook your rice noodles. Cook noodles according to package directions, then rinse with water to help prevent them from sticking. Set aside.
- Brine the chicken. Place diced chicken in a bowl and cover with cold water. Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda, mix, and let the chicken sit while you are preparing the other ingredients. (This brine will make your chicken even more tender)
- Make the batter mixture. Drain the water off the chicken chunks. Use a paper towel to pat dry, then add the chicken back to your bowl. Sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch over the chicken and mix using tongs. Add the soy sauce, egg white, and pepper. Toss again until combined and the cornstarch mixture resembles a paste.
- Cook the chicken. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the avocado oil. Add the chicken to the hot pan leaving space between each piece of chicken. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the chicken is golden brown on the pan side. Use the tongs to flip the chicken and cook again until lightly golden brown on all sides. Once crispy and golden, transfer chicken to a paper towel lined plate.
- Cook the broccoli. In the same pan, add the broccoli and cook for about 2 minutes or until it is slightly tender and bright green.
- Make the Thai peanut sauce. In a small bowl add the soy sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, grated garlic, grated ginger, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, Sriracha, and cornstarch. Whisk together until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add the sauce to the pan with the broccoli and cook over medium heat until the sauce comes to a boil. Add the peanut butter and stir until dissolved in the sauce.
- Serve. Add the chicken and half of the peanuts, toss in the sauce, then remove from heat. Add the noodles and toss with tongs to coat. Top with remaining peanuts and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Honestly any noodles that you find in the Asian section at the grocery store will work great for this recipe. I like to use rice noodles or glass noodles with peanut sauce. Ramen noodles, udon noodles, egg noodles, or even just spaghetti or fettuccine would taste great.
If your peanut sauce is too thick to mix into the noodles without squishing them, you can thin it down with a little bit of extra water or chicken broth.
This dish would taste great with other veggies such as red bell pepper, chopped green onions, and shredded carrots. You could also substitute the chicken for pork, tofu, or shrimp. Or, skip the added protein altogether for a light and delicious lunch.
While this is meant to be a warm dish, Thai Peanut Sauce Noodles are also delicious cold. There are reheating instructions below, but feel free to dig in straight from the fridge, too!
Storing and Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator: store leftover peanut butter chicken and noodles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: you can microwave leftovers, or reheat slowly over the stovetop with a little extra water.
Spicy Thai Peanut Chicken and Noodles Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken Brine
- 2 pounds Chicken Breasts or chicken thighs, cut into 1" pieces
- 8 cups Water cold
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
Crispy Chicken Batter
- 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1 large Egg White
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- 4 Tablespoons Avocado Oil to pan fry the chicken
Spicy Peanut Sauce
- ⅓ cup Soy Sauce
- ⅓ cup Chicken Broth
- 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 1 clove Garlic grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon Ginger grated or minced
- 2 teaspoons Rice Wine Vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha more or less depending on how spicy you want it
- ½ teaspooon Sesame Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- 4 Tablespoons Peanut Butter
- 1 large Broccoli Crown washed and cut into ¾" chunks
- ⅓ cup Peanuts raw or lightly salted- coarsely chopped
Noodles
- 7-10 ounces Rice Noodles or glass noodles
Instructions
- Cook noodles according to package directions, then rinse with water to help prevent them from sticking. Set aside.
Chicken Brine
- Place diced chicken in a bowl and cover with cold water. Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda, mix, and let the chicken sit while you are preparing the other ingredients.
How to Make Pan Fried Crispy Chicken Bites
- Drain the water off the chicken chunks. Use a paper towel to pat dry, then add the chicken back to your bowl. Sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch over the chicken and mix using tongs. Add the soy sauce, egg white, and pepper. Toss again until combined and the cornstarch mixture resembles a paste.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the avocado oil. Add the chicken to the hot pan leaving space between each piece of chicken. (Note: You might need to cook your chicken in two batches.) Cook for 3-4 minutes until the chicken is golden brown on the pan side. Use the tongs to flip the chicken and cook again until lightly golden brown. If you need to, sear on a third side so all sides of the chicken are crispy. Once crispy and golden, transfer chicken to a paper towel lined plate.
How to Cook the Broccoli
- In the same pan, add the broccoli and cook for about 2 minutes or until it is slightly tender and bright green.
How to Make the Thai Peanut Sauce
- In a small bowl add the soy sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, grated garlic, grated ginger, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, Sriracha, and cornstarch. Whisk together until the cornstarch is dissolved.
- Add the sauce to the pan with the broccoli and cook over medium heat until the sauce comes to a boil. Add the peanut butter and stir until dissolved in the sauce.
- Add the chicken and half of the peanuts, toss in the sauce, then remove from heat. Add the noodles and toss with tongs to coat. Top with remaining peanuts and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More Asian-Inspired Recipes To Try
- Chinese Lettuce Wraps
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
- Thai Chicken Chopped Salad
- Thai Chicken Marinade
- Korean Beef Stir Fry
- Ramen Cabbage Salad
- Basil Chicken Stir Fry
- More Weeknight Dinner Ideas
- More 30 Minutes Recipes
This easy Thai Peanut Noodles recipe is full of crispy stir fried chicken, sauteed broccoli, and crunchy peanuts all coated in a creamy Thai peanut sauce. It can be ready in less than 30 minutes and is perfect for serving at lunch or dinner.
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