Thai Peanut Chicken and Noodles

Thai Peanut Chicken and Noodlees

Well it's the weekend and time for my husband and I to try a new dish. We kind of reserve the weekend to make something new together since we don't see each other during the week with us working opposite shifts.

The pick for this week was Thai Peanut Chicken and Noodles. This was a recipe that I found on Pinterest and decided that it looked and sounded really up our alley. The website it's from is The Life & Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch. She did a wonderful job of recreating the Lean Cuisine dish.

In preparing to make this dish it is important to have everything already chopped before you start to cook. Making this dish goes rather quickly, like most Asian dishes that I've ever made. I just always make sure I've got everything chopped up and ready to go.

If I were to make this dish again I would definitely add like a tablespoon of red pepper flakes. I know the recipe says 1/8 teaspoon, but it just wasn't hot enough for me. I picture Thai food as being very hot! Don't get me wrong it is still a very good recipe, but if you like it hot just ramp up the red pepper flakes.

Thai Peanut Chicken and Noodles
3 T soy sauce
2 T lime juice (from about 2 limes)
1/2 T cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 t ground fresh ginger
1 lbs chicken breast tenders, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 C julienned carrots
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 t soy sauce
2 t lime juice
1/2 C chunky peanut butter
1/2 C chicken broth
1 T brown sugar
1/2 t salt
1/8 t dried red pepper flakes, or to taste
3/4 pound spaghetti
2 scallions including green tops, chopped
chopped cilantro (optional)
1/3 C chopped peanuts (optional)

1. In  medium shallow glass dish combine the 3 tablespoons soy sauce, the 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1/2 tablespoon of oil, the garlic, and ginger. Add the chicken, turn to coat. Let marinate at least 10 minutes.
2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until just done following package instructions, drain and set aside until ready to assemble. While pasta is cooking mix peanut sauce and cook chicken.
3.  Place peanut butter in a medium, microwave safe bowl and microwave for 60 seconds. Remove peanut butter from microwave and whisk in 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons lime juice, broth, sugar, salt and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
4. Heat a non-stick deep skillet over moderate heat. Stir-fry the chicken until browned and just done, 4-5 minutes. Add carrots and scallions and stir fry one minute more. Add the peanut sauce to the chicken and scallions and stir to coat. Add the pasta and toss with tongs to coat with sauce. Top with the chopped peanuts and cilantro if desired.