For easy, authentic-tasting sesame noodles, we turned to everyday pantry staples to deliver the same addictive flavor. Grinding chunky peanut butter and toasted sesame seeds together made the perfect stand-in for hard-to-find Asian sesame paste. Garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hot sauce, and brown sugar rounded out the sauce. For flavorful, tender chicken, we browned and then poached boneless, skinless chicken breasts, then shredded them. Scallions, shredded carrot, and red bell pepper lent the dish
fresh flavor, color, and crunch. We prefer the flavor and texture of chunky peanut butter here; however, creamy peanut butter can be used. If you cannot find fresh Chinese egg noodles, substitute 12 ounces dried spaghetti or linguine. Cooking the noodles until completely tender and leaving them slightly wet after rinsing are important for the texture of the finished salad.
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ cup chunky peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- ½ cup hot tap water
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound fresh Chinese noodles
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 4 scallions, sliced thin on bias
- 1 carrot, peeled and shredded
- 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
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For the Sauce
- Process all ingredients except water in blender until smooth, about 30 seconds. With blender running, add hot water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until sauce has consistency of heavy cream (you may not need all of water). For the Noodles
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown chicken well on first side, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip chicken, add ½ cup water, and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks; set aside.
- Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add noodles and salt and cook, stirring often, until tender. Drain noodles, rinse with cold water, and drain again, leaving noodles slightly wet. Transfer noodles to large bowl and toss with sesame oil.
- Add sauce, shredded chicken, scallions, carrot, and bell pepper and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle individual portions with cilantro and sesame seeds before serving.