I’ve never had the noodle salad at R+D, but I want to. I think I’m nervous about it not living up to my expectations or wishing I had gone with a sandwich instead. But I’m curious! Which led me to create this dish. It is a derivation of a wrap my mom used to make when I was in high school, shared with us by our good friends and lovers of food. The wrap was one of my favorites, but it was served warm and I think I prefer peanut dishes cold. The flavor profile reminds me of a pad thai (which I adore), but when I’ve made them in the past, they are complicated and haven’t been as good as those I get at restaurants. This did. The sauce is the star ingredient here, so cut corners and make this recipe your own, but keep the sauce.
THAI NOODLE SALAD
Prep time: 15-20 minutes, Cook Time: ~15 Minutes
INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)
1 rotisserie chicken, chopped
2 packages squiggly noodles (Trader Joes or Momofuku)
1 red bell pepper, julienned
4 large carrots, julienned
1/3 head of cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 cup each of chopped honey roasted nuts, cilantro and green onions to serve
peanut sauce:
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons white sugar or maple syrup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons avocado oil
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare the dressing by whisking to combine the peanut butter, sugar/maple syrup, soy sauce, sesame oil, fish sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Heat a large saucepan filled with water over high heat and chop your veggies and chicken while bringing to a boil.
When the water is boiling, add 2 tablespoons of kosher salt to the water and add your noodles. When the noodles are cooked to your liking, drain, drizzle with 2 tablespoons avocado oil, and refrigerate.
When ready to serve, combine the dressing, cold noodles, veggies and chicken and toss to coat. Top with nuts, cilantro, and green onions to serve.
NOTES/MODIFICATIONS:
This meal is intended to be cold, so make this in advance and serve later!
Use cashew butter as an alternative to peanut butter.