These creamy peanut noodles with chicken combine rice noodles, ground chicken, broccoli and bell pepper in a rich peanut sauce that is spicy, salty and slightly sweet. Ready in under 30 minutes, this is an easy weeknight meal that keeps well for leftovers.
I love these creamy peanut noodles with chicken. Over the years I’ve refined the recipe and tested different noodles, vegetables and sauce ratios until the balance felt right. The secret is a peanut sauce that caramelizes slightly as it cooks and plenty of ground chicken so every bite is coated in sauce and mixed evenly with the vegetables and noodles. I usually double the batch so there’s enough for seconds and leftovers.
[lwptoc]
Why You Will Love These Peanut Noodles with Chicken
- Ready in under 30 minutes — a fast, satisfying weeknight dinner.
- A simple, flavorful sauce made with peanut butter (or nut butter), salty soy or coconut aminos, honey for sweetness and vinegar for brightness.
- Very flexible — swap vegetables, change the noodle type, or substitute ground turkey, pork or beef.
- No fancy or hard-to-find ingredients; everything can be found in a typical grocery store pantry.
- Makes great leftovers and tastes even better the next day after the flavors meld.
What You Need To Make These Peanut Noodles
- Ground chicken: Buy pre-ground or pulse boneless chicken breasts in a food processor to make your own. Ground turkey, pork or beef also work.
- Garlic and ginger: Fresh garlic and fresh ginger give the best flavor for Asian-style dishes.
- Chili peppers: Use red Thai chilies for heat or a Fresno chile for a milder kick.
- Broccoli: Cut into small, bite-sized florets so it cooks quickly.
- Bell pepper: Thinly sliced red, orange or yellow bell pepper adds sweetness and color.
- Chicken stock: Adds flavor to thin the sauce—use water only if you prefer.
- Noodles: Rice noodles are preferred here, but egg noodles, ramen, udon, soba or glass noodles are fine.
- Peanut butter: Use a natural, unsweetened smooth peanut butter. Swap almond, cashew butter or tahini for nut-free or paleo alternatives.
- Honey: Or maple syrup or another liquid sweetener.
- Coconut aminos / tamari / soy sauce: Choose based on your diet and pantry.
- Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar brightens the rich peanut sauce; rice wine vinegar or lime juice can substitute.
How To Make These Peanut Noodles
- Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- Heat sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and break it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until just starting to brown, about 4–5 minutes.
- Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chili and sauté for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
- Pour the prepared peanut sauce into the skillet with the cooked chicken. Stir and let the chicken pieces caramelize in the sauce for several minutes.
- Add the broccoli florets, bell pepper and chicken stock. Simmer until the vegetables are tender and some liquid has reduced, about 6–8 minutes.
- Toss the cooked noodles into the skillet and stir until everything is well coated with sauce. Garnish with chopped green onions and chopped peanuts. Serve immediately.
Full ingredient measurements and timing are listed in the recipe card below.
Can I Add Other Veggies?
Yes. Broccoli and bell pepper are simple and quick, but you can add any vegetables cut into small pieces so they cook evenly. Try bok choy, snap peas, carrots, zucchini, mushrooms or snow peas.
How To Make This Recipe Paleo
For a paleo version, swap peanut butter for almond or cashew butter and replace rice noodles with zucchini noodles or another vegetable-based noodle.
What Type Of Noodles Are Best?
Rice noodles or egg noodles work beautifully. You can also use udon, ramen, soba or glass noodles. Cook according to package directions and aim for al dente so the noodles hold their texture when mixed with the sauce. Grain-free and vegetable noodles (zoodles, sweet potato noodles) are good alternatives.
How Spicy Is The Sauce
You control the heat. Add chilies for a punch or omit them for a kid-friendly, mild version. Serve chili oil, crushed red pepper or sriracha on the side so everyone can adjust their own spice level.
What About Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of chicken stock to loosen the sauce, or microwave until warmed through.
More healthy takes on takeout you might enjoy
- Sweet & Sour Pork
- Sesame Chicken
- Black Pepper Beef with Onions
- Spicy Orange Chicken
- Pork Fried Rice
- Thai Basil Beef
- Salt & Pepper Chicken
- Moo Shu Pork
- Black Pepper Chicken
If you make this recipe, leave a comment or share a photo — I love seeing how it turns out!
Creamy Peanut Noodles with Chicken
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 onion, cut into quarters and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red Thai chili or Fresno chili, halved, seeds removed and finely chopped
- 2 cups small broccoli florets (about 1 medium head)
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced into strips
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 6 oz rice noodles
- 2 tbsp chopped green onions
- 2 tbsp chopped salted peanuts
Sauce
- ⅓ cup peanut butter (or almond/cashew butter)
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup coconut aminos (or soy sauce or tamari)
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients: peanut butter, honey, coconut aminos (or soy), and vinegar. Set aside.
- Heat sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add ground chicken and cook about 4–5 minutes, breaking it into small pieces.
- Add onion, garlic, ginger and chopped chili. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the rice noodles according to package instructions, then drain and rinse under cold water.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet with the chicken and cook about 4–6 minutes, stirring so the chicken caramelizes in the sauce.
- Add broccoli, bell pepper and chicken stock. Simmer until the vegetables are tender and some liquid has reduced, about 6–8 minutes.
- Add the drained noodles and toss well to coat. Serve topped with chopped green onions and peanuts.
