Nooooodlllles. Peanut butter and noooodllles. 2 things I can’t do without. A version of this Thai Red Curry Peanut Chicken Noodles recipe is one of the first things I learned to cook and it has evolved and improved over time. How could it not – pretty sure I made it once a week for about 8 years straight. I love it.
Today, it’s time to pass this oldie but goodie on to you. One of the improvements I made to this recipe at some point was the Thai Red Curry Spice Blend. Mine has a mix of cumin, paprika, red pepper, and lemongrass. You can get the one I used at the spice shop I own in Duck, NC or use the Thai red curry paste you can find at any grocery store.
This recipe comes together easily if you prep and chop everything before you start. Whisk up all the ingredients for the sauce and set it aside. Toss the chicken in your curry blend/paste and throw it in the pan over medium high heat. Get some noodles going while you move along and cook your veggies for a minute. Add the chicken back to the pan, then pour in the sauce and some of the starchy noodle water, if you want to thin it out a bit. Let it all simmer and mingle together for a bit. Then, into the pan with the cooked noodles and chopped peanuts and dinner is served! I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!
Thai Red Curry Peanut Chicken Noodles
Chicken, crispy veggies, and soft noodles, all coated in a peanut-y, salty, spicy sauce! Thai Red Curry adds tons of flavor to this meal!
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients
FOR THE SAUCE:
- 1/4 C creamy peanut butter
- 2 TBS low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 TBS honey
- 1 1/2 TBS Thai red curry spice blend or paste
FOR THE REST:
- 1 TBS vegetable oil
- salt (for the pasta water)
- 3/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 1/2 TBS Thai red curry spice blend or paste
- ¼ lb spaghetti or whatever noodles you like ** reserve ½ a cup of the pasta water
- 2 Cups broccoli florets
- 1 inch piece of ginger, minced
- 2 scallions, sliced thinly, white and green parts reserved separately
- 1 large carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
- ½ a red bell pepper, cut into thin matchsticks
- ½ C chopped peanuts, divided
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients for the sauce together in a bowl and set aside.
- Put your broccoli florets in a microwave-safe bowl with 1 TBS of water, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and microwave for 30 seconds or until they are slightly tender and bright green. Set aside.
- Toss the chicken pieces with the Thai red curry spice blend. Heat oil in a 12” non-stick skillet over medium high heat, until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook until no longer pink on the outside – 5-6 minutes. You can stir the chicken all around the pan during this time, we’re not browning it, just cooking it part of the way through.
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and add 1-2 TBS of salt. Cook your spaghetti 1 minute less than the package directions say to. Drain and set aside, reserve 1/2 a cup of the pasta water.
- With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken from the pan to a plate and set aside.
- Return the pan to the heat and add the ginger and white parts of scallions; stir for about 30 seconds. Add the carrot and red bell pepper, stir for a couple minutes until they’ve softened a little.
- Return the chicken to the pan and add the broccoli.
- Add the sauce to the pan and stir to combine. Cover and simmer on low for about 2-3 minutes, adding 1/4 -1/2 C of the reserved pasta water if you feel the sauce is too thick. (Remember you’ll be adding pasta which will soak up some of that liquid.)
- Turn off the heat and add the pasta and ¼ C chopped peanuts to the pan. Stir to combine and serve, topped with scallion greens and remaining ¼ C chopped peanuts. Enjoy!
Notes
If you are using the Thai red curry paste from the grocery store, taste the sauce at the end and add salt and pepper, if needed.
If the curry blend or paste is too spicy for you, add an additional squirt of honey to the sauce.
Keywords: thai red curry chicken