Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles

This Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles dish is made with fragrant aromatics, ground chicken, bok choy and chewy and bouncy udon noodles in a lip-smacking tasty creamy peanut butter sauce that’s full of spicy-sweet flavors and a hint of tang! Ready in just 25 minutes, this is weeknight comfort food at its best!

📝 Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons / 56 grams Creamy Peanut Butter (I used Skippy)
• 2 tablespoons / 30ml Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon / 8ml Distilled White Vinegar
• 2 teaspoons / 14 grams Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
• 1-2 teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper Chili Flakes, to taste
• 1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil
• 1/2 cup / 120ml Noodle Cooking Water
• 2 small / 36 grams Asian Red Shallots – finely chopped
• 3-4 cloves / 20 grams Garlic – minced
• 1 teaspoon / 8 grams minced Ginger
• 1-6 pieces / 3-18 grams fresh Red Chilies (optional – note 1*, I used Thai Bird’s Eye red chilies but any variety can be used, omit for milder dish) – finely chopped
• 6 pieces / 100 grams Baby Bok Choy – (or regular bok choy, Chinese broccoli (‘gai lan’), or other Asian greens of choice) – leaves/stalks separated, rinsed thoroughly, chopped if needed
• 3 tablespoons / 6 grams Spring Onion (scallions/green onions – dark green parts only) –chopped
• 2 sprigs Coriander (Cilantro) – chopped
• 14 ounces (2 servings) / 400 grams frozen Udon Noodles (note 2)
• 2 teaspoons Peanut Oil (or any neutral flavored cooking oil)
• 7 ounces / 200 grams Lean Ground Chicken (note 3)
• 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed Lime Juice
• To Serve/Garnish: Reserved spring onion and coriander

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Prep: ---
2. 2Make the sauce: Combine all the sauce ingredients except the noodle cooking water in a measuring cup – the peanut butter, low sodium light soy sauce, vinegar, Thai sweet chili sauce, crushed red pepper flakes and sesame oil. No need to mix just yet.
3. 3Prepare the fresh ingredients: Prepare the shallots, garlic, ginger, chilies, baby bok choy, spring onion and as indicated in the ‘ingredients’ section.
4. 4--- Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles: ---
5. 5Cook the noodles: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once rapidly boiling, lower the heat and add the udon noodle cakes. Use tongs to gently shake the noodle cakes until the strands loosen and soften – about 1 minute. (If using fresh udon, vacuum sealed packs or dried udon noodles, cook according to package instructions.) Transfer ½ cup of water to the measuring cup with peanut butter sauce and mix thoroughly to combine. Drain the into a colander and set aside.
6. 6Sauté the aromatics: Heat 2 teaspoons peanut oil in a medium deep edged skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and sauté for a minute until starting to soften. Then add the garlic, ginger and red chilies and sauté for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
7. 7Add the ground chicken: Add the lean ground chicken and season with ¼ teaspoon sea salt. Cook for 2 minutes, breaking up the chicken clumps into pieces, until just cooked.
8. 8Add the bok choy: Add the baby bok choy and season with the remaining ⅛ teaspoon sea salt. Sauté until starting to soften – about 1 minute.
9. 9Add the noodles and sauce: Add the cooked udon noodles and pour the peanut butter sauce on top. Mix well to combine until everything is evenly coated in the sauce and it starts to thicken and cling to the noodles.
10. 10Mix through spring onion, coriander and lime juice: Add most of the spring onion and coriander (reserve some for garnish) and the lime juice. Mix well to combine, then switch off the heat.
11. 11Serve: Divide evenly onto plates or in bowls and garnish with the reserved spring onion and coriander. Serve immediately.