Thai Chicken Peanut Noodles is what you make when you’ve got less than 15 minutes to get dinner on the table and you need a Thai fix! Using chicken mince means no meat prep – and you can switch out with literally any ground meat (beef, turkey, pork).
Thai Chicken Peanut Noodles
Firstly, let me be very upfront that this is by no means an authentic Thai dish. Which is why I don’t even classify it as part of the Thai recipes collection. 😂
It’s just a really tasty one-skillet, minimal-prep dinner that’s full of Thai-inspired flavours.
Specifically, Thai Peanut Sauce flavours. All you Thai Chicken Satay fans out there will LOVE it!
What you need for Thai Chicken Peanut Noodles
Note the use of chicken mince and baby spinach here – no chopping involved! 🙌🏻
Noodle cake (instant noodles) – Use any instant or ramen noodles you can get your hands on. We’re discarding the seasoning packet and making our own sauce. Using instant noodle cakes is ideal because the crinkly nature of the noodles captures the chicken mince bits. Also, it’s indestructible 😂;
Thai red curry paste – Our flavour shortcut. There is a time and place for homemade red curry paste. But tonight is not it! (PS. Regular readers who know I’m a bit snobby about my favourite red curry paste brand: Maesri. For this dish, I’m a little more relaxed because … well, you know. Quick ‘n easy midweek meal and all. Anything will do. 🙂
Chicken mince (ground chicken) – Pork and turkey make perfect substitutes, though actually beef works really well too. I’m not convinced about lamb, but then again, Lamb Satay is darned delicious!
Curry powder – While you might think this looks out of place, curry powder is an ingredient in Thai Chicken Satay. So adding a touch here adds more authentic flavour into this totally non-authentic dish 😉. Plus, it’s a good way to get flavour into chicken mince;
Peanut butter – It’s not peanut sauce without peanut butter! Commercial spread is fine here, though you do get more intense peanut flavour using natural peanut butter (ie. no salt, sugar or oil added);
Soy sauce – For a touch of extra salt in the dish. I like to use dark soy sauce because it stains the white chicken mince, giving it a nice colour. But light, all-purpose soy sauce, tamari or even mushroom soy will work just fine. Just no sweet soy;
Vinegar – For an essential touch of sour for balance (yes, it’s used in real Thai Peanut Sauce too). I use cider vinegar here although normal white vinegar will work fine too;
Coconut milk and chicken broth/stock – Together, these make the sauce for these noodles. Full fat for coconut milk please. If you opt for low fat, do not complain if you are disappointed with the sauce flavour! 😂
Baby spinach – Takes mere seconds to wilt, and an easy way to up the veg quot. No chopping required, just throw into this dish.
Here’s a photo of what I think is the best Red Curry Paste, by a long shot. It also happens to be the cheapest, at around $1.50 or so a can compared to $3+ for other brands. I use it for all my authentic Thai recipes as the alternative to homemade Red Curry Paste.
Having said that, as I mentioned above, because this is a quick and easy midweek dinner, do not be too concerned about hunting down Maesri – any brand will do the job nicely.
How to make Thai Chicken Peanut Noodles – in 12 minutes!
One might look at the ingredients above (or how delicious the dish looks!) and think, “this can’t take 12 minutes!!“. The trick here is that the only thing you need to chop is the garlic (and toppings) and there’s a nice work flow so you can measure out the ingredients while you’re cooking.
Oh – and yes, the noodles are cooked in the same skillet the chicken is cooked in. No pre-cooking required!
Garlic first, then cook the chicken, breaking it up as you go;
Red curry paste and soy sauce next, sautéed with the chicken to give it good flavour and colour;
Chicken stock/broth next, simmered for a bit to take the raw flavour out of it;
Then squish the noodle cakes in, submerging them as best you can;
Cook noodle cake 45 seconds on one side, flip, cook another 30 seconds, then break them up;
Add the remaining sauce ingredients: coconut milk, peanut butter and vinegar. Then give it all a good toss;
Finally add the baby spinach right at the end. It won’t take much longer than 30 seconds or so to wilt; and
Serve it up! NB. You can either garnish with peanuts and fresh coriander/cilantro before or after serving. I’ve been known to do both. 🙂 Also, a good squirt of Sriracha chilli sauce won’t go astray!
This is a dish that’s intended to be a quick meal so you don’t need to worry about adding a side dish or similar to get your greens in. You can be very generous with the baby spinach because it wilts down into nothing.
Also, this is saucier than other quick noodle cake / ramen-based quick meals I’ve shared previous (like this Asian Beef Mince one, Chicken and Vegetable one and Mushroom one). Because, well, you know. Thai Peanut Sauce? We can never have enough!! 😂 – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Note: Error in video! Soy sauce is shown added in with the coconut milk. Soy sauce is should only be added with the chicken!
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12 Minute Thai Chicken Peanut Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 200g/7oz chicken mince (ground chicken) (Note 1)
- 1 tsp curry powder (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 tbsp red curry paste , separated (Note 3)
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce (Note 4)
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock/broth , low sodium
- 3/4 cup coconut milk (~1/2 a can), full fat for best flavour
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp peanut butter
- 2 instant ramen or noodle cakes ~70-100g/2.5-3.5oz per cake; any brand (discard seasoning pack, Note 5)
- 2 (big!) handfuls baby spinach
To serve:
- 2 tbsp peanuts , finely chopped
- Roughly chopped fresh coriander/cilantro leaves
- Sriracha or other chilli paste , optional
Instructions
- Sauté garlic: Heat oil in a medium skillet over high heat (not too large, else the sauce will evaporate too quickly). Add garlic and cook for 20 seconds until it turns golden.
- Cook chicken: Add chicken mince and cook for 2 minutes, breaking it up as you go, until it mostly changes from pink to white.
- Add flavourings: Add 1 tbsp red curry paste, curry powder and soy sauce. Cook for 1 minute.
- Cook extra curry paste: Clear a space in the middle of the pan, add remaining 1/2 tbsp curry paste, stir the curry paste for 30 seconds.
- Simmer stock: Add chicken stock, bring to a simmer then reduce to medium-high. Simmer for 1 minute.
- Add noodles: Squish the noodle cakes in, pushing chicken aside so the noodles are as submerged as possible.
- Cook 45 sec, flip, 30 sec: Leave to cook for 45 seconds, then flip noodles. Leave for another 30 seconds, then separate the noodles with 2 wooden spoons.
- Add peanut sauce: Push noodles aside, add coconut milk, peanut butter and vinegar, then give it a quick mix to mostly dissolve the peanut butter.
- Toss with spinach: Add spinach, toss with the noodles for 30 seconds until wilted. Make sure it's still pretty saucy – everybody loves sauce!
- Serve: Transfer to serving bowls, sprinkle with coriander, peanuts and Sriracha or chilli paste if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
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This looks so easy, and so satisfying! Perfect weeknight meal!
Mae ploy curry pastes are really good Nagi but I do love Maseri but seriously give them a try
Thanks Greg, will give that brand a try!
Hi Nagi,
I wonder is this recipe very spicy? What could I do to make it very mild as my family does not like spicy food?
Thanks
Hello Luisa,
If you’re a local Aussie, then I don’t think that any of the commercial curry pastes will be hot. If you’re worried, just add half the amount, Alternatively, just add more coconut milk. Keep in mind, the flavours (spice) is extremely diluted once you eat this with rice. x
I’m allergic to peanuts. Since this isn’t “authentic” Thai cuisine, what do you think about almond butter as a substitute?
Dang! I forgot the star rating so adding it now!!
Made this tonight it was so easy and family went crazy over it…sooo good, definitely a keeper.
This is so fabulously tasty and easy! I added /”nestled” a couple of eggs in the noodle nest to poach. Gently lift them out with the noodles and you can crack into the yolk and have that run through the noodles, if that is your scene! SOOOO yummy!!! A bit of coriander and fresh chilli happened to be kicking around in my fridge, so that went on as a condiment. Doesn’t need it though. I was just using up stuff in my fridge.
Thanks Nagi!!! Awesome quick recipe (and I LOVE quick!)
This was yummy and easy!… what more do I want for a Thursday night dinner???
Thanks, I can’t wait to try this one.
Hi may I please know if Maesri red curry paste is vegetarian as I am allergic to shell fish. I am so tempted to make this recipe as it looks so yum , you had me at peanut butter 🙂
Yes it is Manoja! N x
Can I double the recipe if I’m cooking for four people?
Could I sub crumbled up tofu for the chicken to make this vegetarian?
Far too busy a morning in our lives to make Thai curry paste either . . . fabulous pictures and poetry arriving by the minute from across the Pond ! Glory be !!! Methinks this is rather an Aussie ‘fusion’ dish which I am certain, will taste just heavenly !! I love such as long as some classical name is not attached !!! Pork for me methinks ’cause I eat too much chicken and the latter is not always organic !!! Maesri – have to buy and try – the other two seem to hog my pantry usually . . .
Maesri is the closest thing to anything homemade – it’s really good Eha! And pork will work beautifully here – one you’ll love I’m sure! N x
How many grams of noodles would that be do you think if I can’t find noodle cakes?
Hi Kate, the noodle cakes are about 75g each 🙂 N x
Could I use small dice chicken instead of minced and how about about Wel-Pac chow mein stir-fry noodles. They are sometimes call ramen style noodles. It just seems wrong to me to buy the ramen soup and then throw away the seasoning packets.
Hi Carol, you want the meat chopped fine so it cooks quickly. You could use any dried 2 minute style noodles here – they can’t be fresh otherwise the water ratio and cook time will be out. This is all about convenience here! N x
Thx. Love you recipes. And the fact that reply to questions
You and Dozer make my day, thank you a lot
Me too. I can’t wait for my e-mail to arrive from Nagi because Dozer is just as important to me to see what he’s up to as Nagi’s recipes are although they are so “schmik” every time.
Thanks Nagi for such a quick and easy filling meal.
Hey Josephine,
I agree, I can’t wait to see the update the Dozer contributes!!! LOL
Renee
Oh shucks, thanks so much! N x
I agree! Exactly what I was going to say!!
Hi Nagi. Been meaning to ask you, what is a good substitution for spinach? I’m not a fan. Fresh yes. cooked no! I would appreciate your input. stay well and safe. Hugs to Dozer!
Hi Cherie, for this recipe or in general? In this recipe you could use any type of asian green! N x
Thai chicken peanut noodles
Does a 2 blocks of Ramen noodles mean one pkg or two?
Here in the US, A pkg has two halves, which could be two blocks.
Hi Marty, good question! The noodle blocks we have here are about 75g (anywhere from 70-100g noodle cakes will be fine here), you’ll ned two of these – N x
Hi Nagi. At about 1 minute into the video, you add the coconut milk, peanut butter, vinegar, and also an additional dose of dark soy sauce. This additional soy sauce is not mentioned in the recipe and I think this may be an oversight. Not a huge deal but would you address this. Love your website, the recipes, the videos, all of it.
Yes! We love your take on quick and easy, made with pork, double the recipe. Loved by all – thanks Nagi!
Wahoo, that’s great Kate!! N X