Chicken Noodle Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Yield: 4 servings
Cook Time: 8-10 minutes (for pasta)
Tips: If you'd like a more tender texture to your bell pepper slices, simply place in a vegetable steamer over boiling water and steam for about 2 minutes, then immediately place in icy water to stop cooking process. Alternatively, this salad can be made without the bell peppers, if desired.
Suggestion: Also delicious served in slightly different form as a hot pasta dish.
Ingredients
- Salad
- 1 12 1/2-oz. can cooked chicken breast (or 1 cooked chicken
- breast)
- 1 large orange bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch strips
- 8 oz. uncooked linguine
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 5 or more large lettuce leaves
- Spicy Peanut Dressing
- 6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon Asian Sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger root
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Garnishes
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup salted peanuts, chopped
Directions
Spicy Peanut Dressing
Drain chicken, reserving 1/4 cup of the broth. Set chicken aside. (Note: If using a cooked chicken breast instead of canned cooked chicken, packaged chicken broth or chicken broth made with bouillon and water may be used in place of the broth from the can.)
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the 1/4 cup of reserved broth, peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, ginger and cayenne until blended. Store in refrigerator while preparing the rest of the salad.
Salad
Cook linguine according to package directions until al dante (just until done - no longer). Drain pasta in a collander and rinse with cold water until completely cooled, then drain again.
Transfer pasta to a medium or large mixing bowl. Add chicken, bell pepper strips and chopped green onions. Pour dressing over all and toss until thoroughly coated.
Line a large serving bowl (or line individual serving bowls) with lettuce leaves. Transfer noodle salad to the bowl (or each serving bowl) and place over lettuce leaves. Garnish with sprinkles of the chopped peanuts and chopped cilantro.
Drain chicken, reserving 1/4 cup of the broth. Set chicken aside. (Note: If using a cooked chicken breast instead of canned cooked chicken, packaged chicken broth or chicken broth made with bouillon and water may be used in place of the broth from the can.)
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the 1/4 cup of reserved broth, peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, ginger and cayenne until blended. Store in refrigerator while preparing the rest of the salad.
Salad
Cook linguine according to package directions until al dante (just until done - no longer). Drain pasta in a collander and rinse with cold water until completely cooled, then drain again.
Transfer pasta to a medium or large mixing bowl. Add chicken, bell pepper strips and chopped green onions. Pour dressing over all and toss until thoroughly coated.
Line a large serving bowl (or line individual serving bowls) with lettuce leaves. Transfer noodle salad to the bowl (or each serving bowl) and place over lettuce leaves. Garnish with sprinkles of the chopped peanuts and chopped cilantro.