Thai peanut chicken pasta (Printable Version)

Tender chicken and pasta coated in a creamy peanut sauce brightened with lime and herbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces linguine or spaghetti
02 - Salt, for boiling water

→ Chicken

03 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
04 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Sauce & Garnish

07 - 1 cup ready-made Thai peanut sauce
08 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
09 - 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
10 - 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
11 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
12 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped (optional)
14 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
15 - 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
16 - Lime wedges, for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add linguine or spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken slices with salt and black pepper, then sauté until golden and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add Thai peanut sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, grated ginger, and minced garlic to the skillet. Stir well and simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until warmed through.
04 - Return cooked pasta and chicken to the skillet. Toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly with the sauce.
05 - Remove skillet from heat. Stir in chopped cilantro, optional mint, and half of the sliced green onions.
06 - Portion into individual bowls. Garnish with chopped peanuts, remaining green onions, and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Ready in 35 minutes from craving to plating, which means weeknight dinners actually feel possible.
  • The sauce is richly satisfying without the heaviness of cream, balancing nutty warmth with lime brightness that makes you want another bite.
  • It somehow tastes like you spent hours cooking when you actually spent twenty minutes, perfect for feeding people without the stress.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the pasta well—excess water dilutes the sauce and turns it thin, which I learned the hard way the first time.
  • Fresh lime makes a real difference; it adds a brightness that bottled juice can't match, and it's what separates this from tasting like a peanut condiment.
  • The sauce doesn't need to boil—just warm through gently so the flavors blend without losing their individual character.
03 -
  • Slice your chicken thinly and evenly so it cooks through at the same rate—uneven pieces means some dry, some underdone.
  • Toast your chopped peanuts briefly in a dry skillet before garnishing to wake up their flavor and add a deeper roast note.
  • Keep the peanut sauce jar nearby so you can add a spoonful more if the pasta absorbed more sauce than expected—better to adjust at the end than have it feel dry.
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