Sesame Noodles with Chicken Recipe

sesame noodles with chicken and asparagus in a bowl from top view

Sesame Noodles with Chicken Recipe

Sesame noodles with chicken and asparagus for a healthy weeknight chicken recipe. Drizzled with a velvety peanut butter sauce, this Asian noodles dish is guaranteed to become a favorite in your weekly menu.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian Cuisine, Thai Cuisine

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 506kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

Chicken & Vegetables:

2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 pound ground chicken or leftover chicken
1 bunch asparagus* woody ends trimmed & cut into 2-inch pieces
¼ cup sesame seeds black & white

For The Noodles:

3 packets of ramen noodles seasonings discarded

Peanut Sauce:

¼ cup unsweetened creamy peanut butter
3 cloves of garlic minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger peeled and grated
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon Sriracha optional

As Garnish:

4 scallions both green and white parts sliced thinly
½ cup peanuts chopped
¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
Wedges of lime

Instructions

To cook the chicken: Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the ground chicken and cook, breaking the large pieces with a wooden spoon, for 7-8 minutes or until no longer pink.
Add in the asparagus and let it cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 4-5 minutes.
Toast the sesame seeds: Place sesame seeds in a small empty skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Do not leave the site of it as they can burn easily.
Cook the ramen noodles: Meanwhile to cook the ramen noodles, fill a medium-sized saucepan with water and a tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for 2 minutes. Save ¼ cup of the pasta water and drain the rest.
Make the noodle sauce: While the chicken is cooking, make the peanut butter sauce. To do so, whisk together peanut butter, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, lime juice, and Sriracha ( if using) in a measuring cup.
Assemble: Right before serving, place the ramen noodles into the skillet with chicken and asparagus. Drizzle it with the peanut butter sauce and add in the chopped scallions. Using kitchen tongs, give it a toss making sure that the noodles are evenly coated with the sauce. If it gets too sticky, drizzle it with the reserved pasta water as you toss.
Divide the noodles into bowls and garnish with chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, wedges of lime, and chopped fresh cilantro, if using.

Notes

Make ahead: To make this recipe ahead of time, make the peanut butter sauce and cook the chicken and asparagus a day in advance and store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge. When ready to eat, cook the noodles, assemble your sesame noodle bowls, and serve.
Meal prep: For quick meal prep, prepare your peanut sauce, chicken and asparagus, and noodles, and store them in an airtight container with the sauce reserved on the side. Then, cut up your garnishes and store them in a separate container. Just before serving, give your noodle sauce a good shake, drizzle the sesame noodles with the sauce and if preferred, warm it up in the microwave in 30-second intervals and top it with the prepared garnishes.
Storage: To store, wait until it reaches room temperature. Then, place your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat the dish in the microwave or on the stovetop when ready to eat. If you use the stovetop method, you may want to add a splash of water, chicken broth, or vegetable broth to the skillet to keep the noodles tender.
Want to make this sesame noodles dish even faster? Use leftover chicken!
I used asparagus as the vegetable in this recipe but broccoli, snap peas, peas, etc. would all work as the vegetable.

Nutrition