Description
This Spicy Peanut Soba Noodle Salad combines tender shredded chicken, crunchy vegetables, and nutty soba noodles tossed in a creamy, spicy peanut dressing. It’s a quick and flavorful dish perfect served warm or cold, with a delicious balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy notes.
Ingredients
Scale
Peanut Sauce
- 5 tablespoons peanut butter
- 5 tablespoons water
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari (for gluten free option)
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil (optional, for flavor)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 cup chili sauce like sriracha (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 cup peanuts (for sauce)
Salad
- 1 lb. chicken breast
- 1 red bell pepper
- 3–4 cups chopped purple cabbage
- 10 ounces soba noodles
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or basil (to taste)
- 1/4 cup crushed peanuts (for topping)
- Salt and pepper (to season chicken)
Instructions
- Prepare Spicy Peanut Sauce: Puree the peanut butter, water, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, lime juice, garlic, and chili sauce in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add the peanuts last to control the texture, leaving the sauce slightly chunky if desired.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper until fully cooked through, about 6-8 minutes per side depending on thickness. Remove from heat and let cool slightly before shredding the meat.
- Chop Vegetables: Finely chop the red bell pepper, purple cabbage, and fresh cilantro or basil to your preferred size for the salad.
- Cook Soba Noodles: Boil the soba noodles according to package instructions, usually about 4-5 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and prevent sticking.
- Assemble Salad: In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, cooked soba noodles, chopped vegetables, and peanut sauce. Toss well to generously coat all ingredients with the dressing.
- Serve: Garnish with crushed peanuts on top. Serve the salad either warm or cold according to your preference.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, use tamari instead of soy sauce and check that soba noodles are 100% buckwheat.
- Adjust the amount of chili sauce to suit your desired spice level.
- Can substitute chicken breast with grilled tofu or shrimp for variation.
- Salad keeps well refrigerated for 2 days; the flavors intensify over time.
- Use fresh lime juice for best flavor impact in the peanut sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Keywords: Spicy peanut sauce, soba noodle salad, chicken soba noodles, easy Asian salad, peanut noodle salad
