Do you have big meals on Sunday evenings? If we're around on a Sunday without many plans, I do like to cook a nice dinner. Not only does it leave us with leftovers for Monday (nothing beats not having to cook on a Monday!), but it's kind of a nice way to end the weekend. On the other hand, when we're out of town for a weekend or if I've already spent a lot of time in the kitchen that weekend, it's not uncommon for Sunday night dinner to be popcorn or pancakes.
A few weeks ago we spent the weekend visiting my brother in Minnesota and landed in St. Louis on Sunday evening. Knowing our cabinets were pretty bare, we ran to the grocery store on the way home to pick up enough food to get us through the week. By the time we got home and started to unpack both our bags and our groceries, I was not in the mood to cook anymore.
The lure of popcorn was strong, but the lure of leftovers for Monday was stronger. Thankfully this dish came together quickly, especially since Ryan and I tag-teamed it...me chopping vegetables and he mixing together a sauce and cooking the pasta. I had recently cooked, shredded, and frozen a few chicken breasts so I thawed that and added it to the mixture. It was healthy and easy, and the peanut sauce was the perfect coating to the chicken, veggies, and pasta!
Peanut Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables
Ingredients:
-10 oz. spaghetti
-2 carrots, shredded
-2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
-1 cucumber, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
-2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
-1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
-1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
-2 tbsp rice vinegar
-1 tbsp sesame oil
-2 scallions, thinly sliced
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook for 10-12 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. While pasta is cooking, whisk soy sauce with peanut butter, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.
3. Toss noodles with vegetables and chicken in a large bowl. Add peanut butter sauce and mix to combine. Serve topped with green onions.