Peanut Soba Chicken
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Nouilles soba quick stir-fried with chicken strips, vibrant veggies, and a thick peanut-coconut sauce infused with lemongrass and ginger. Balanced spicy, creamy, tangy notes from fish sauce, hoisin, and a chili kick. Texture pops from crushed peanuts and crisp cucumber. Cooking times flexible; rely on sizzle, aroma, and noodle bite. Swap chicken for tofu or shrimp. Use almond butter if allergic. Sauce doubles as dip or dressing. Ideal midweek dish—fast, adaptable, layered flavor.
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
22 min
Total:
37 min
Servings:
6 servings
#Asian Fusion
#stir fry
#noodles
#chicken
#peanut sauce
Chunks of chicken, slivers of bell pepper, and bright green beans tossed with chewy soba noodles. Enough to fill, not weigh down. Sauce thick with nutty richness from cashew butter; coconut cream makes it silky. Lemongrass swapped for basil here—adds fresh herbal punch I liked better after testing. Ginger and garlic punch through heavy sauce. Sriracha heat lingers but doesn’t dominate. Crunch from toasted cashews and fresh zucchini on top—something raw sharp to contrast the warm, savory base. Tried with almonds once but the buttery cashews hold up better to the high heat and sauce. Noodles need proper bite, not soggy mess, so timing’s crucial. Learned that rinsing post-cook stops carryover cooking, keeps vibrant. One-pan stir-fry speed-up rocks kitchen efficiency. Key: don’t crowd pan during searing; better browning equals flavor depth.
Ingredients
Sauce
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) vegetable broth
- 90 ml (6 tbsp) cashew butter
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) soy sauce
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) hoisin sauce
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) finely chopped fresh basil
- 20 ml (4 tsp) fresh ginger, minced
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) sriracha sauce
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- Optional dash of sambal oelek or Tabasco
- 1 can 398 ml (14 oz) coconut cream
Garnish and noodles
- 300 g (10 oz) soba noodles
- 200 g (7 oz) green beans, trimmed and halved
- 280 g (10 oz) skinless boneless chicken thighs, thin strips
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced
- 40 ml (2 1/2 tbsp) sesame oil
- 45 g (1/3 cup) toasted cashews, roughly chopped
- 1/2 medium zucchini, grated
About the ingredients
Substituting cashew butter for peanut butter reduces allergen risk; almond butter also works but changes sauce texture slightly—adds subtle sweetness. Coconut cream richer than canned coconut milk; stick to cream for velvety sauce that clings well. Vegetable broth swaps easy if chicken stock missing—just avoid salty bouillons, dilute if needed to balance soy and hoisin. Fresh basil replaces lemongrass for a bolder, more floral note; if you prefer original, finely mince 2 stalks of lemongrass pulp only. Garlic and ginger freshly minced give punch; powder versions dull out hard. You can swap green beans for asparagus or snap peas—only adjust cooking times. Bell pepper color flexible; yellow or orange add sweetness, red adds heat and color contrast. Oil choice critical; sesame oil doubles flavor and helps crisp edges without smoke burn, but vegetable oil tolerates higher heat better. Toasted cashews for garnish give crunch; peanuts fine if that’s what you have. Zucchini gives cool contrast; cucumber can substitute though adds moisture.
Method
Sauce
- 1. Mix all sauce ingredients in a medium pot except sambal; bring to a low boil, stir constantly to prevent sticking. Simmer gently 12 minutes until thickened; watch texture not dryness. Aromas deepen, sauce coats spoon. Reserve heat but stir occasionally to avoid skin forming.
Noodles and veggies
- 2. Drop soba noodles in salted boiling water. After 3 minutes, add green beans. Cook 3-4 more minutes until beans tender-crisp, noodles bouncy but not mushy. Drain immediately, rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Toss with a splash of sesame oil to prevent clumping.
Protein and stir-fry
- 3. Heat wok or large skillet on high until smoking lightly. Add half sesame oil. Flash-fry half chicken strips and bell peppers quickly, about 3 minutes or until white and edges sear. Season with salt and pepper. Remove to plate.
- 4. Repeat with remaining chicken and peppers in remaining oil. Return all back to pan.
- 5. Pour reserved sauce over chicken mixture; the sizzle, bubbling, and thick sauce enveloping meat signals readiness. Add noodles, toss quickly but gently to coat evenly. Cook 2 more minutes. Avoid overmixing—noodles break easily.
To serve
- 6. Spoon into bowls. Sprinkle with chopped cashews and freshly grated zucchini for crunch and cool contrast. Add extra sambal if heat’s wanted.
- 7. Optional: squeeze lime over top to cut richness before serving.
Cooking tips
Start sauce first; it needs gentle simmer to thicken nicely. Keep stirring or it scorches. Watch texture closely; too thin and noodles slide off, too thick and clumps form. Sauce should coat a spoon in glossy layer. While sauce simmers, prep noodles and veggies. Timing matters—green beans overcooked get dull green and limp; add mid-way with noodles to nectar crunch. Rinsing noodles immediately in cold water stops residual heat cooking, saves chewy texture, plus cools to safer stir-fry temperature. When stir-frying chicken and peppers, work in batches; overcrowding causes steaming, losing crisp edges and browning which add flavor. High heat and quick toss keep chicken juicy with caramelized edges. Add sauce last to deglaze pan bits, blend flavors, and give everything shine. Don’t overmix noodles to avoid breakage. Final garnish of chopped nuts and raw zucchini adds welcome texture and freshness; don’t skip. If plate seems too rich, a squeeze of lime juice adds brightness and cuts heaviness. Leftovers reheat well but toss noodles with splash of water or broth to loosen sauce—microwave in short bursts to avoid drying out.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Start sauce gently simmering early. Constant stir to avoid scorch. Texture changes slow but watch for thickness just coating spoon; too thin slips off noodles, too thick clumps stuff. Hold heat low, stir often or skin forms. Use cashew butter not peanut if allergies. Coconut cream richer than coconut milk Use cream only or sauce thins out.
- 💡 Rinse noodles quick in cold water right after draining. Stops carryover cooking. Keeps bite firm. Beans go in late; add after three minutes in boiling water, green beans crisp and bright. Overcook dulls color fast; timing critical. Toss noodles immediately with sesame oil to keep separate. No oil = mush mess. Timing spices different veggies; snap peas or asparagus need tweaks.
- 💡 Cut chicken thin strips. Stir-fry on blazing hot wok or skillet in batches. Crowding pan traps steam, kills browning, no crisp edges. Quick flash 3 minutes till white edges sear. Season salt pepper after frying per batch. Return all to pan together after sear. High heat key; chicken juicy inside, browned outside. Add sauce last; it sizzles, thickens fast, coats meat slick. Noodles last toss. Avoid breaking noodles by gentle flips.
- 💡 Substitute almond butter for cashew butter. Texture changes some, more sweet. Sambal oelek optional for heat. Lime juice squeezed over raw zesty cuts rich fatty layers. Fresh ginger and garlic minced better punch than powder dullness. Basil swap for lemongrass fresh floral note changes profile completely; lemongrass pulp finely minced if original needed.
- 💡 Final garnish important - chopped toasted cashews add crunch, zucchini grated cool fresh texture contrast to warm saucy noodles. Cucumber works but adds moisture. Overmixing noodles after sauce toss breaks noodles easily. Sauce doubles as dressing or dip; leftovers reheat best with splash broth or water to loosen before microwaving short bursts. Keep sauce texture glossy, shiny.
Common questions
How do I prevent soggy noodles?
Rinse noodles cold right after draining. Stops cooking immediately. Toss with sesame oil fast. Timing green beans last adds crunch. No rinsing equals mush fast.
Can I swap chicken for tofu?
Yes, firm tofu pressed and sliced works well. Quick fry in batches same as chicken. Shrimp also fine. Adjust cook time till just opaque. Heat high needed always to keep texture.
My sauce burnt what now?
Lower heat next time. Stir constantly till thick but glossy. Too thin slides off, too thick clumps. Coconut cream richer than milk; don’t swap or burn more likely. Scrape pan bits off to prevent sticking.
How to store leftovers?
Keep noodles separate or toss with bit broth to loosen. Refrigerate 3-4 days max. Reheat short, stir gently to avoid noodle break. Sauce thickens but loosen with water or broth. Garnish fresh after reheat.
