Cold Sesame Peanut Noodles with Brown Butter Chicken

Here we go again: cold rice noodles + toasted sesame oil + peanut butter + veggies. YOU KNOW IT'S MY JAM! This time we're adding some other goodies like brown butter chicken and red pepper flakes and all the veg in the land. Thanks to Eileen for that phrase, which I'm now addicted to (along with eating all the veg in the land). Summer dinner problems: SOLVED.

Here's the full situation: make some chicken. I don't care how you make the chicken, just do it. You can grill it, broil it, bake it, roast it, toast it, fry it, whatever. Maybe don't toast it. That sounds like a great way to ruin a perfectly good toaster. Point is: cook the chicken. Let it cool a little bit, then shred it. We have good things coming for you, chicky chick! Next you'll make the browned butter. MAKE IT BROWN! Do it. It's pretty much the best toasty buttery smell, e.v.e.r. but again: don't use the toaster for this. Frying pan. Duh. Once it's nice and browned (but not burnt. Don't break my heart by burning your butter, please please please), pour it into a jar that already has some crushed red pepper flakes in it. Watch the magic ensue! (nothing actually happens except FLAVOR EXPLOSION COLLABORATION LIKE WHOA!). Let that ish cool for a bit, then POUR IT OVER THE SHREDDED CHICKEN! Now we have true magic!

Next: make some rice noodles. They're the easiest to make! Just pour some boiling water over the noodles and let 'em sit for 10ish minutes. Test one, and when they're done, drain and rinse with cold water. Add a splash of toasted sesame oil (YOU KNOW IT'S MY FAVORITE!) so they don't stick together, and set that ish aside.

ONTO ALL THE VEG IN THE LAND: slice 'em dice 'em get 'em ready for your belly. I used cucumbers and carrots. Simple stuff. Chop 'em real fine like matchsticks! Or use one of those nifty tools that does it for you (that I can NEVER FIND and desperately want). Also get some herbs. Mint! Cilantro! I would have added basil, had I any on hand! Crush some peanuts! To be 100% honest: I used cashews in this picture. I couldn't find any peanuts! But: You should use peanuts. YAS!

Finally, and MOST IMPORTANTLY: the sauce. Do. not. skip. the. sauce. (casinoplay.com.ua) I'm not sure why that thought would even cross your mind — if I've learned anything about cooking in the last year it's that sauce is the most important thing EVER. This one has a bunch of stuff — garlic, ginger, peanut butter, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, and a tiny bit of brown sugar. DON'T SKIP ANY OF IT. Not even the fish sauce! Mandatory ingredients here, kids. MANDATORY.

Once you have allllll of that done (which is actually pretty quick), throw it all in a bowl. Toss it around. Slurp it up. Don't be weirded out by the buttery buttery chicken (it tastes sooooo good! but also feels kind of naughty...). Throw on more herbs! Or more peanuts! Or more sauce! Do whatever makes your little heart pitter patter. I'll understand. Unless you skip the fish sauce... then we're over. #justsayin'

ENJOY! Have a wonderful weekend, my loves! xoxo

Cold Sesame Peanut Noodles with Brown Butter Chicken

• Author: Mary
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 3-4 1x

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• Sauce
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil (plus some to keep the noodles from sticking)
• 2 Tbsp smooth peanut butter
• 3 ½ Tbsp soy sauce (or Tamari, if GF)
• 1 Tbsp finely grated ginger
• Everything Else
• 3 chicken breasts, cooked
• ½ cup butter
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 12 oz. dry rice noodles
• 2 carrots
• 1 cucumber
• fresh mint and cilantro
• ½ cup crushed peanuts

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Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce and blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. Cook the chicken however you'd like, then let it cool slightly before shredding it.
3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pan, and bring the butter to a simmer. It should fizzle and pop. Continue to stir occasionally. Once the popping has died down, keep an eye on the solids in the pan: we want them to be a dark golden brown, but not to burn. Once they turn dark brown, pour the butter {scraping everything in the pan along with it} into a separate container along with the red pepper flakes. Let the butter cool for 5-10 minutes before pouring it over the shredded chicken and tossing to coat.
4. To make the noodles, lay the dry noodles in a baking dish and pour boiling water over them until they are completely submerged. Let sit for 10 minutes, then test a noodle. Keep soaking if they aren't done, otherwise drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again, and toss with a small amount of toasted sesame oil to avoid sticking.
5. Cut the carrots into matchsticks, and the cucumber into thin rounds.
6. To assemble, combine noodles, chicken, and veggies in a bowl. Top with ample herbs, peanuts, and sauce.

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