I’m spending a quiet weekend at the cabin before the busy school season begins. While the boys are out geocaching in the woods, I stayed behind to relax and cook a little. I have a big pot of my Easy Creamy Crockpot White Chicken Chili simmering for later, but today I want to share a quick, satisfying weeknight favorite: Easy Spicy Peanut Noodles with Chicken. It’s fast, full of flavor, and uses pantry staples plus a store-bought rotisserie chicken for speed.
This dish balances spicy, nutty, salty and creamy elements in a way that’s both comforting and lively. It’s essentially an upgraded ramen-style noodle bowl: cook the noodles in seasoned broth, then use a bit of that liquid to build a peanut-forward sauce. The method is fast, the ingredients are accessible, and the result feels special even on a hectic weeknight.
I label these “Spicy” Peanut Noodles because I use Sriracha, but you can easily adjust the heat. Omit or reduce the Sriracha for kid-friendly portions and add it to adult servings at the table. My favorite finishing touch is a generous sprinkle of chopped roasted peanuts for crunch. The combination of textures—tender noodles, juicy shredded chicken, crisp vegetables and crunchy peanuts—makes this dish so good. The recipe was inspired by a simple version I found on Dinner Then Dessert.
Leftovers keep well and may even taste better chilled the next day—perfect for packed lunches. The recipe is flexible: swap noodle types, add extra veggies, or change the spice level to suit your family.
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment and share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #lovelylittlekitchen
Can’t get enough?
Subscribe to receive recipes by email. You can also follow on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter to stay updated.
Easy Spicy Peanut Noodles With Chicken
No reviews
- Author: Julie
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Asian
Description
Some pantry staples, a few fresh vegetables and a rotisserie chicken make this quick, flavorful dinner a regular weeknight winner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces noodles (soba or thick spaghetti)
- 2 tablespoons chicken base (or concentrate)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 red pepper, finely diced
- 6 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 large clove garlic, pressed
- pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha (adjust to taste)
- 2 cups shredded or cubed rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted salted peanuts
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and add the chicken base. Bring to a boil, stirring until dissolved.
- Cook the noodles in the seasoned broth according to package instructions.
- While the noodles cook, sauté the red pepper, green onions, carrot and garlic in butter over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes until slightly softened. Add a pinch of salt and set aside.
- When the noodles are done, drain most of the broth but reserve about 3/4 cup in the pot with the noodles. Stir in the peanut butter, soy sauce and Sriracha until the peanut butter dissolves into the broth. The sauce will thicken as it sits.
- Toss in the shredded chicken, combine well, and serve topped with chopped peanuts and extra green onions if desired.
Notes
This recipe was adapted from a simple five-ingredient version. If you don’t have chicken base, dissolve a bouillon cube in a couple of tablespoons of hot water or use a light chicken broth. Adjust the Sriracha to control heat, and feel free to add more vegetables or swap the noodles to suit your pantry.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving
- Calories: 538
- Sugar: 4.9g
- Sodium: 1143mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16.8g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 3.8g
- Protein: 46g
- Cholesterol: 120mg