Chinese-American · main

Spicy Peanut Noodles with Chicken

Spicy Peanut Noodles with Chicken reads umami 6.4, salinity 5.2 and richness 4.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Chinese-American main, about 23 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.2 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.2 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 3.3 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.1 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.4 · Salinity 5.2 · Richness 4.8 · Nutty 4.5 · Sweetness 3.8 · Allium 3.5 · Sourness 3.2 · Heat 3.1 · Funk & Ferment 2.7 · Herbaceous 2.2 · Warm Spice 2.1 · Fruity 1.4 · Earthy 1.2 · Floral 1.1 · Bitterness 1.0

What's in it (15)

• thin spaghetti — 340 g
• boneless chicken — 454 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• vegetable oil — 27 g
• chunky peanut butter — 109 g
• soybean soy sauce — 59 g
• rice wine vinegar — 33 g
• brown sugar — 25 g
• sriracha — 30 g
• garlic — 9 g
• ginger — 15 g
• carrots — 180 g
• scallions — 400 g
• spanish style peanuts — 59 g

Time & effort: about 23 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 126.4 kcal, 11.3 g protein, 6.5 g fat, 6.4 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente, about 9-10 minutes, reserving 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
2. While the pasta water comes to a boil, season the chicken thigh pieces all over with the salt and black pepper.
3. Whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and sriracha in a bowl until smooth; if the peanut butter is stiff, whisk in 2-3 tablespoons of hot tap water to loosen it into a pourable sauce. Set the sauce aside.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear undisturbed until deeply golden on the first side, 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook until golden and cooked through to 165 F internal, 3-4 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the same skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds.
6. Add the carrots and the white parts of the scallions to the skillet and stir-fry until the carrots are just beginning to soften but still have crunch, 2 minutes.
7. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet, then pour in the peanut sauce. Toss to coat and let the sauce come to a simmer, 1 minute.
8. Add the drained noodles to the skillet along with 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss with tongs over medium heat until every strand is glossy and evenly coated, adding more pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time if the sauce looks tight, about 2 minutes. Taste and season with more salt or sriracha as needed.
9. Divide among bowls and finish with the scallion greens and chopped roasted peanuts.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Gochujang Tofu Stir-Fry — Korean
• Vegetable Kung Pao Tofu — Chinese · Sichuan
• Crispy Peanut Tofu with Sweet Chili Sauce — Thai
• Spicy Sichuan Eggplant — Chinese · Sichuan
• Sweet Chili Glazed Chicken Thighs — Chinese-American

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.