Spicy peanut chicken soba noodle salad

Welcome to 2015! A new year means new recipes, more racing and no school. It’s hard to believe that on Jan. 5, when everyone else was grabbing their backpacks and getting ready for the new semester of learning, I wasn’t joining them. However, I’m not totally bummed about it; I’ve put my time in and will be a very proud graduate at convocation when I receive my bachelor of science in kinesiology. Graduating also means I’m no longer a student (until the inevitable additional schooling) and will have to pretend I’m a grown-up.

Or I can cook more, run, volunteer and work enough to pay my bills until actually making a decision on what I want to do as a career. At this point, that idea sounds a bit better than more school.

Now for the new recipes: in typical fashion, Christmas was spent oohing and aahing over different blogs, books and websites with my sister, salivating over recipes we were dying to try. The first of these was the spicy peanut chicken soba noodle salad from A Pinch of Yum. My sister made hers and served it warm. I made mine with rice noodles and served it cold.

Both were amazing; a perfect blend of peanuts, the saltiness of soya sauce, a sweet hint from honey and a tang from the vinegar. Pair that with tender chicken, crisp fresh bell peppers and noodles, and voila!, a perfect meal has been created. Super easy, delicious warm or cold and makes plenty. The blog says that it serves eight to 10, but if you’re cooking for a bunch of runners I would say it will serve four or five, as the portions would be awfully small if you divide it for 10. That said, it would make a great side or as a potluck dish in small servings. Considering how delicious it was, I doubt I could restrain myself to small portions. Maybe that’s just because I lack will power when it comes to good food. Oh well!

Spicy peanut chicken soba noodle salad
Pinch of Yum

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 red, green, and yellow bell pepper
• 250 grams (8) soba noodles
• fresh cilantro or basil to taste

For the spicy peanut sauce:

• 5 tbsp peanut butter
• 5 tbsp water
• 5 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• half of a jalapeño pepper
• ½-cup peanuts

Instructions:

• Bring a large pot of water to boil. Place the chicken in the water and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred with your hands or with two forks. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, cut the bell peppers into very thin strips – it makes the salad extra awesome if they are thin and easy to wrap your fork around, almost like a little noodle.
• Puree all the ingredients for the spicy peanut sauce in a food processor, adding the peanuts last so you can control how smooth the sauce will be.

Cook the soba noodles according to package directions. Drain and toss with the chicken, veggies, fresh cilantro, and spicy peanut sauce. Serve hot or cold.