Simple Sesame Chicken Noodle Bowls
This is the third recipe I’ve tried from Time for Dinner, my Cookbook of the Month. We have a week or so left in the month, so I should be able to share a few more with you before we move on to February and a new cookbook.
I liked these sesame noodle bowls because they are incredibly simple, and the only thing I really changed was the sauce. It was just too thick and sweet for our taste, so I reduced the amount of peanut butter in it and added some rice vinegar. This cut the overall sweetness a bit and made for a thinner sauce. I used Trader Joe’s Sesame Soy Ginger Vinaigrette, but the book recommends Annie’s Naturals sesame dressing. I say find a sesame dressing you like, and go with it. You may find that some vinaigrettes are sweeter than others, and less tinkering is required depending on the type of dressing you’re using.
This was a fantastic dinner in that it was so simple and easy to put together. The combination of noodles, chicken, fresh veggies, and herbs was great. I poached a couple of chicken thighs, but you could also use shredded rotisserie chicken to make it even easier.
I added a squeeze of fresh lime to make the flavors of the cilantro and the sesame-peanut sauce pop. The only thing I would have added was some fresh mung bean sprouts, for even more of a Thai-style flair. Of course, you can use any vegetables that your family likes. The options are endless.
This is dairy-free recipe. To make it gluten-free as well, just use brown rice pasta instead of wheat, and ensure you are using a gluten-free sesame dressing in the sauce.
Simple Sesame Chicken Noodle Bowls
Adapted from Time for Dinner by Pilar Guzmán, Jenny Rosenstrach, and Alanna Stang
2-3 skinless, boneless chicken thighs or 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 pound whole wheat fettucine or linguine
1/4 cup organic or natural creamy peanut butter (no sugar added is best)
1/2 cup sesame dressing (any Asian-style sesame dressing will do)
1/4 cup rice vinegar (more or less, to taste)
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cucumber, peeled and julienned
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
roasted peanuts and/or sesame seeds
fresh lime wedges
Place a large pot filled 3/4 full with lightly salted water over high heat to come to a boil. Covering the pot will help the water to reach the boiling point more quickly.
Put the chicken thighs in a large saucepan with enough water to cover them completely, and place over medium-high heat. When the water boils, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the thighs are done, 10 minutes or so. Remove from the water and chop into small pieces.
When the pasta water comes to a boil, add the noodles and cook according to the directions on the package. Drain in a colander.
While the pasta and chicken are cooking, shred the carrots, peel and julienne the cucumber, chop the scallions and cilantro, and make the sauce: in a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, sesame dressing, and rice vinegar until smooth. Adjust to taste, adding more of the three as necessary until you have a sauce that is to your liking.
When the pasta is done cooking, divide it between four bowls. Allow each person to add sauce, chicken, and toppings to their liking.
Serves four.
Here’s the printable recipe. Enjoy!
