Sesame Noodles with Shredded Chicken

The week closes with another really good Chinese type of meal.  While it wasn't WW I still think it could be low cal with whole wheat pasta.  Again, I didn't use the noodles, I used what I had. This recipe assumes you'll actually follow it and use the Chinese noodles. Some day I will have those in my house and can use them.

It should also be pointed out that I'm not a fan of cold noodles. So...since I didn't use the Chinese noodles, I kept the spaghetti warmed and added the sauce and chicken.  I put cucumbers on the side and had them with dinner.

But once dinner was done, I tossed the remaining pasta and cucumbers together and had it as a salad the following day for lunch. I am still not a fan of cold noodles. 

This recipe, like the others, was easy and simply delicious. I didn't do the shredded chicken part because, well, I was too lazy.  Sautéing the chicken seemed easier to me.

Sesame Noodles with Shredded Chicken
Recipe from American Test Chicken

Courtesy of American Test Kitchen

Serves 2

Sauce:
2.5 T soy sauce
1.5 T sesame seeds, toasted
2 T chunky peanut butter
1 T rice vinegar
1 T light brown sugar
1.5 tsp grated or minced ginger
1 clove garlic,minced
1/2 tsp hot sauce
hot water


Chicken and Noodles:
1 (8oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed
8-9 ounces fresh Chinese noodles or 1/2 lb spaghetti (I used whole wheat spaghetti)
1 T salt
1 T toasted sesame oil
1/2 red bell pepper, halved and sliced lengthwise (I didn't put this in...blech)
1/2 cucumber, peeled, halved and sliced length wise
1 carrot peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater (I totally cheated here too and bot already grated carrots. I use them in my salads too)
2 scallions, sliced thin on the bias
1 T chopped fresh cilantro
1 T sesame seeds, toasted

For the sauce: Blend the soy sauce, sesame seeds, peanut butter, vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and hot sauce together in a blender until smooth, about 30 seconds. With the machine running, add hot water, 1 T at a time until the sauce has the consistency of heavy cream (about 2 T).

For the chicken and noodles: Adjust an oven rack to be about 6 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler. Set a slotted broiler pan top over a broiler pan bottom, spray the top with vegetable oil spray, and lay the chicken on the top.

Broil the chicken until lightly golden on both sides and the thickest part registers 160-165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 10-12 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through. Transfer the chicken to a caring board, tent with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Shred the chicken into bite size pieces using 2 forks.

Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add the noodles and the salt, and cook, stirring often, until tender. Drain the noodles and rinse under cold running water until cold.

Transfer the noodles to a large bowl and toss with the sesame oil. Add the sauce, shredded chicken, bell pepper, cucumber, carrot, scallions, and cilantro and toss to combine. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.