Craving Satisfied

Ok, so I debated whether to jump into a food post right after my heart felt post to my baby boy. However, after taking my first bite of dinner last night I decided it needed to be done. I have been craving something with noodles, something with loads of flavor, and something a little off the beaten path. This dish delivered on every level and made me sneak back for bite after bite this morning. The best part is that it can be eaten cold, so it is perfect for a leftover meal to take to the office.....although, the texture changes just a bit due to the noodles soaking in the sauce overnight. But the flavors? They are still there and will blow your taste buds off! Enough chit-chat, lets get down to business...here is my rendition on the cold Asian Noodle Chicken Salad.

Asian Chicken Noodle Salad with a Ginger Peanut Sauce:
Adapted from: Serious Eats

• For the chicken:
• 3-4 chicken tenders or two chicken breast
•  
• For the salad:
• 10 ounces soba noodles (I used high fiber spaghetti--cooked al dente)
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 4 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cucumber , quartered and sliced
• 1-2 carrots, shredded
• 1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
•  
• For the dressing:
• 5 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinega
• 1-2 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
• 1-1/2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 2 small garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger or I used 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Procedures

1. Poach chicken: in large sauce pan bring water to boil, drop chicken in water and boil 15-20 minutes until fully cooked.

2. In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook noodles according to package instructions, stirring occasionally so they don't stick. Drain and rinse well under cold water.

 

3.  Make the dressing by combining all ingredients in a small food processor or blender. Blitz until mixture is smooth. (Alternatively, you can whisk all the ingredients together in a medium bowl; just be sure to mince the garlic and stir until peanut butter is completely dissolved.

 

4. Shred chicken into bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl, toss shredded chicken with noodles, dressing, bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots, peanuts, scallions, cilantro and sesame seeds. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately.

 

Enjoy!