Chinese Wheat Noodles with Chicken and Peanuts Recipe
These noodles with chicken and peanuts are a homemade, simplified version of popular Chinese wok dishes. They’re a bit like a cross between stir-fried noodles and a salad – lots of vegetables, crunchy peanuts and an aromatic sauce. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner when you want something different from classic pasta with tomato sauce.
A quick, one-pan noodle dish that combines the comfort of stir-fried noodles with the freshness and crunch of a salad. It uses simple ingredients but delivers a distinctly Asian-style flavor thanks to soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and chili.
Chef's tips
Prepare all the ingredients before you start frying – stir-fries cook quickly, so having everything chopped and measured out makes the process smoother and prevents overcooking. Don’t overcook the noodles or vegetables; a slightly firm texture keeps the dish light and satisfying.
How to serve
Serve the noodles straight from the pan, topped with extra peanuts and, if you like, sliced spring onions or fresh coriander. They pair well with green tea or lightly sparkling water with lime. For a larger meal, add a simple cucumber salad or Asian-style coleslaw on the side.
Ingredients
- Asian wheat noodles e.g. ramen or Chinese noodles; can be replaced with spaghetti - 200 g
- chicken breast boneless, skinless - 250 g
- bell pepper medium - 1 piece
- carrot medium - 1 piece
- cabbage chopped - 120 g
- unsalted peanuts lightly chopped - 40 g
- soy sauce - 3 tablespoon
- rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- oil for frying - 2 tablespoon
- sesame oil for aroma - 1 teaspoon
- garlic finely chopped - 2 clove
- fresh ginger piece about 2 cm, grated - 10 g
- chili paste or chili flakes or less, to taste - 0.5 teaspoon
- sugar - 1 teaspoon
- water for the sauce - 3 tablespoon
Preparation
- Cook the noodles according to the package instructions, but reduce the cooking time by about 1 minute so they stay slightly firm. Drain and briefly rinse under cold water to keep them from sticking.
- Cut the chicken breast into thin strips. Remove the seeds from the bell pepper and slice it into thin strips. Peel the carrot and cut it into thin matchsticks or very thin slices. Slice the cabbage into thin strips.
- In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, water, chili paste, garlic and ginger. Set the sauce aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat. Add the chicken and fry for 4–5 minutes, stirring often, until the meat is no longer pink and lightly browned. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Pour the second tablespoon of oil into the same pan. Add the carrot and bell pepper and fry for 3–4 minutes over fairly high heat, stirring, until the vegetables soften slightly but remain crunchy.
- Add the cabbage and fry for another 1–2 minutes, until it just wilts.
- Add the cooked noodles and fried chicken to the vegetables. Pour in the prepared sauce and stir-fry everything together for 2–3 minutes, tossing or stirring frequently, until the noodles are well coated in the sauce.
- Finally, add the chopped peanuts, mix and serve immediately. You can reserve some peanuts for sprinkling on top on the plate.
Storage
Makaron przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku do 2 dni. Przy podgrzewaniu na patelni dodaj 1–2 łyżki wody, żeby sos znów był lekko płynny. Możesz też zamrozić porcje na do 2 miesięcy – po rozmrożeniu podgrzej na patelni.
