Easy Asian Noodles with Chicken, Peanuts and a Kick!

The other night Jake and I took in some Asian fare at Bac in Tremont. I'd been there before and thought it was delish but Jake downright flipped his lid. All he could talk about while we downed the rest of our PBR's at the bar was how delectable his wok-seared steak tips were. As he raved, I thought about the ingredients and the prep of both our dishes - nothing super intense. I could do this.

That's how we get to to this Monday night's dinner. I didn't go with red meat because quite frankly, I consume far too much of it as it is and I was going for something lighter. However, this dish could probably be served with any protein (pork, chicken, shrimp, beef) and hold up.




Easy Asian Noodles with Chicken, Peanuts and a Kick! 
(Adapted from "Cook This, Not That!")
Ingredients:

• Whole-wheat fettuccine (recipe calls for 6 oz. I probably made somewhere between 8-10)
• 2 tsp sesame oil, plus more for noodles
• Splash rice wine vinegar for noodles 
• 2 limes (juice of one lime for sauce, one reserved for garnish to squeeze over top)
• 2 tbsp warm water
• 1 1/2 tbsp natural chunky peanut butter (I only had creamy - it was still great)
• 1 1/2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp sriracha 
• 2 cups shredded chicken (I totally copped out, bought a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, took the skin off and used the white meat of the chicken breasts)
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup sugar snap peas 
• 1 cup cooked and shelled edamame (I bought it pre-shelled but had to cook it myself. TIP: if your grocery store has a salad bar scope that out for the pre-cooked, pre-shelled edamame. Big time saver.)
• Bundle of scallions chopped 
• Handful chopped peanuts 
• Sesame seeds
• OPTIONAL: I added a spoonful of chili garlic sauce to my serving as I love some extra heat - not for the faint of heart however! 

How-to:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain pasta and toss in a large bowl with a bit of sesame oil and rice wine vinegar to keep noodles from sticking (adds a little flavor too, so don't skip this step)
• Combine juice of one lime, water, peanut butter, soy sauce, sriracha and sesame oil in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 45 seconds, then whisk till smooth
• Combine bell pepper, snap peas and shredded chicken in large skillet over medium heat for a few minutes - this helps soften the veggies (not necessary if you don't want to do it, but I prefer the veggies to not feel completely raw)
• Add the sauce to the noodles and toss to mix. Stir in the chicken, bell pepper, sugar snap peas, edamame and scallions
• Top with sprinkle of peanuts, sesame seeds and garnish with lime wedge