This is a great recipe to have in your arsenal. I’ve made it for as few as a couple people and in bigger batches for parties It’s not complicated and it’s easy to short cut. Make the recipe as-is or substitute the peanut dressing with with a store-bought peanut satay sauce which is now pretty widely available in the Asian section of the supermarket, Trader Joe’s and even WalMart. Brighten up the store-bought sauce with a squirt of fresh lime juice and/or spice it up with a little sirracha or chili-garlic sauce; f necessary, thin with a little water.
Soba noodles are a Japanese noodle made from buckwheat. Soba actually means buckwheat which is naturally gluten-free. However, if you are on a gluten-free diet, make sure to read the package verify that 100% buckwheat flour is used.
- For the peanut sauce:
- ¼ cup natural peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil or a neutral oil like canola
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons sherry, dry
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-inch freshly grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- kosher salt
- -
- For the noodle salad:
- ¾ pound soba noodles or linguini
- 1 tablespoon peanut or a neutral oil
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
- 2 to 3 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias
- ¼ cup peanuts, dry-roasted
- Chili-garlic sauce, for serving
- -
- For the chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 limes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- For the dressing whisk together the peanut butter, water, and soy sauce in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Whisk in remaining dressing ingredients and set aside. Can be made up to one week ahead and kept in the fridge.
- For the noodle salad Cook the noodles per package directions. Drain in a colander and rinse in cold running water. Toss the noodles with the peanut oil to prevent from sticking together and chill. Can be done one day ahead and kept refrigerated.
- For the chicken: Squeeze limes over chicken and let marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Combine the seasonings and sprinkle over chicken. Preheat grill to high; brush and oil grates. Grill chicken 3 to 4 minutes per side or until cooked through. Chicken should be cooked to 160ºF; let rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
- When you are ready to serve the noodles, place them in a large bowl along with the grated carrot and toss with peanut dressing. Garnish with the sliced scallions and roasted peanuts. Serve with sliced chicken breast with a bowl of chili-garlic sauce on the side to share.
Cheers and Happy Grilling!
