Thai Peanut Noodle Salad With Chicken

by Kayla Berman on June 26, 2025 0 comments

My cool, colorful, almost-no-cook Thai Noodle Salad with Chicken is the perfect 30-minute meal for warmer nights. While the nutty soba noodles, juicy chicken breast, and rainbow of crunchy veggies are delightful on their own, it’s the zippy Thai peanut salad dressing that’ll keep you coming back for more!

As the temperatures start to rise, the less I want to turn on the oven—who wants to heat up a house they’re cooling with A/C?!? That’s why I LOVE having recipes that require very little heat to prepare, like these Thai peanut noodles with chicken. Aside from boiling the pasta water (and pan-frying the chicken breasts, if you don’t have a grill), there’s no indoor cooking to be done.

This cold peanut noodle salad with crunchy veggies is just as welcome as bruschetta pasta salad or roasted corn caprese pasta salad at a cookout, but brings a decidedly Asian flair. Here I pair our Thai peanut noodles with chicken breasts, but you could just as easily swap in grilled pork chops, bang bang salmon, air fryer shrimp, or any other protein you prefer.

Better yet, this Asian peanut noodle recipe is perfect for meal prep. Using noodles and sturdy veggies means the salad won’t wilt, and it’s designed to eat cold or at room temperature—just what you want for picnics or packed lunches. Oh, and if your little ones aren’t big on veggies? Just wait until they try the gingery-sweet Thai peanut salad dressing. It’s impossible to resist! 😉

For more Asian-inspired sides and salads, try my cucumber sweet pepper salad, Tik-Tok famous raw carrot salad, or Chinese smashed cucumber salad next!

Why You’ll Love This Thai Noodle Salad Recipe

Quick & Easy – Just boil some noodles, chop a few veggies, and grill some chicken. Dinner will be ready in just 30 minutes!
Colorful & Crowd-Pleasing – Red bell peppers, orange carrots, green edamame and scallions, and purple cabbage bring a sweet, crunchy rainbow of nutrients to your plate, lean chicken breasts boost the protein, and fiber-packed whole-grain soba noodles are naturally gluten-free.
Summer-Ready – We’re entering prime veggie season, and this Thai peanut noodle recipe is here to help you make the most of it. Feel free to add or swap in any farmer’s market finds or CSA goodies you like!

Nutritional Deep Dive

If you were to divide the recipe below into 6 servings, you can expect about 480 calories from each. That’s hearty enough to fill you up, but at under 500 calories is light enough for a low-calorie dinner. It’s also well-balanced from a macro perspective—approximately 32 grams of protein, 22 grams of fat, and 41.5 grams of carbs (a little more than 8 of which come from fiber).

While these are all numbers that suit my definition of a healthy meal, I want Wellness By Kay recipes to work for as many folks as possible! Here are just a couple of ways you can tweak the recipe to fit your dietary needs and preferences:

For more protein, consider swapping in a high-protein pasta (like Barilla Protein+). You can also add more chicken or more edamame.
To reduce the calories, use fewer soba noodles and add more shredded cabbage—this will also increase the fiber. You can also use less of the cold peanut noodle sauce and/or swap in a sugar-free sweetener (e.g. monkfruit) in place of the honey.
Counting carbs? Use heart of palm noodles and a sugar-free honey alternative to cut back. If you’re on a strict keto diet, consider using fewer carrots (they’re relatively high in carbs) and adding avocado for extra fat.

INGREDIENT SPOTLIGHT:

While I’m a fan of all noodles and pasta dishes, soba noodles are quickly becoming a staple in my house. Not only do they have a rich, nutty flavor that I find intoxicating, but they’re also packed with nutrients! Traditional soba noodles are made with 100% buckwheat flour, which, despite the name, is not part of the wheat family and is considered a pseudo-grain (like quinoa).

Buckwheat is naturally gluten-free, making soba noodles a great option for celiacs. (Just make sure to read your labels! Some brands are processed in facilities with wheat.) Buckwheat is also considered a whole protein because it contains all nine amino acids, making it a great option for vegans and vegetarians.

And as if that weren’t enough to love, buckwheat is also a treasure trove of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. As such, soba noodles are a fantastic source of manganese, thiamin, magnesium, and iron, plus flavonoids like rutin and polyphenols. So, next time you’re in need of a healthy meal, remember: with soba noodles on hand, your pantry is full of pasta-bilities!

Ingredients & Substitutions

For the Thai peanut salad dressing, you’ll need:

Creamy Peanut Butter – As much as I enjoy a spoonful of Jif or Skippy as a treat, you’ll want to use natural peanut butter here.
Soy Sauce – Feel free to swap in lite soy sauce if you’re watching your sodium!
Lime Juice – For a touch of acidity to cut through the richness. Try to use fresh citrus for the best flavor, or swap in rice wine vinegar for a pantry-friendly alternative.
Honey – Adding a bit of sweetness balances out the salt, spice, and umami flavors. You can use other liquid sweeteners like maple syrup or agave if needed, or use sweet chili sauce.
Sesame Oil – You can use plain or toasted sesame oil depending on how intense you want the sesame flavor to be.
Fresh Ginger & Garlic – Fresh garlic has an almost spicy bite compared to the sweet, cooked taste of garlic powder, while fresh ginger has a sweetness that powdered ginger lacks. For a pantry-friendly alternative, feel free to use jarred garlic and ginger pastes.
Chili Garlic Sauce – Make sure you’re reaching for the spicier, deeper red kind that comes in a jar (also known as sambal oelek), not the clear, sweet, pourable kind you’d serve with crab rangoon. Note that these pastes can vary widely in terms of spiciness—I used Huy Fong brand, for reference.

For the Thai noodle salad you’ll need:

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast – Feel free to use any kind of chopped or pulled cooked chicken—leftover rotisserie chicken, air fryer chicken bites, and air fryer chicken tenderloins would all work great.
Edamame – Soy beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein, so I always keep them in the freezer for easy snacking. I recommend buying the pre-shelled kind to keep prep to a minimum.
Soba Noodles – If they’re not with the rest of the dried pasta, check the international aisle of your store near the Japanese ingredients.
Red Cabbage – I love the vibrant magenta hue of red cabbage, but you’re welcome to use green cabbage or savoy cabbage if needed.
Carrots – For sweet, earthy flavor and craveable crunch. Any color works! You can also use parsnips.
Red Bell Pepper – Red, orange, and yellow bell peppers are sweeter than their green counterparts—feel free to use any of them!
Scallions – Use the white and pale green parts to toss in the salad, then reserve the dark green slices for a pretty garnish.
Cilantro – Fresh herbs are always a welcome addition. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, Thai basil or mint are excellent alternatives.
Roasted Peanuts – A little added crunch and saltiness takes these Thai peanut noodles over the top!

How To Make Thai Peanut Noodle Salad

As promised, this cold Asian noodle salad is a snap to throw together. Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1: Make Peanut Noodle Sauce. Combine all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk well to mix. Add water as needed to thin the sauce. Set aside.

Step 2: Cook Chicken. If your chicken breasts are thick, cut them in half. Place the chicken breasts in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the peanut sauce and season the chicken with salt and black pepper. Stir well. Grill the chicken or pan fry until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Set it aside on a plate tented with foil to rest for at least 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Step 3: Cook Edamame according to the package instructions—you can either boil or microwave them. Rinse with cool water and set aside.

Step 4: Cook Noodles. Boil the soba noodles according to the package instructions (use the same water as the edamame to cut back on dishes!). Once they are cooked, rinse them with cool water and place them in a large bowl. Add the sesame oil and toss them together to coat the noodles.

Step 5: Toss Salad. Add the edamame, red cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, scallions, and cilantro to the bowl. Pour half of the peanut sauce over the vegetables and noodles. Toss together to coat everything. Thinly slice the cooked chicken and place it on top of the salad. Drizzle the remaining peanut sauce over the top.

Step 6: Garnish with chopped peanuts and cilantro and serve with lime wedges. Enjoy!

Optional Variations

As always, there are plenty of ways to make this Thai peanut noodle salad your own! Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

Gluten-Free – Instead of soy sauce, use Tamari or coconut aminos.
Vegetarian – Omit the chicken, then add more veggies or swap in grilled tofu. (If you’re pescatarian, pan seared shrimp or air fryer salmon bites are great chicken alternatives.)
Vegan – Skip the honey in favor of maple syrup or agave nectar, and follow the instructions for making it vegetarian.
Nut-Free – If you can’t do peanuts, swap in sunflower seed butter (sunbutter) and toasted sesame seeds.

Expert Tips

Salt your pasta water! You only get one shot to season the noodles themselves, so don’t miss the opportunity.
Rinse the noodles after cooking to remove excess starch, then toss with the sesame oil to prevent them from sticking. This is particularly important if you’re using this recipe for meal prep.
Use hot water to thin the peanut sauce—it mixes in much more easily than cold.
Double the Thai peanut sauce—you’ll want it on more than just noodles! It’s great for dipping raw veggies and chicken nuggets, drizzling over Sweetgreen copycat crispy rice bowls, or slathering on cottage cheese flatbreads.
Packed lunches might not be refrigerated for long periods, so consider omitting the chicken in favor of tofu or another plant-based protein. The vegetarian option is just as yummy, and is a great healthy option for bringing on airplanes, picnics, pool days, or road trips. PRO MOVE: Keep the roasted peanuts in a separate container until right before serving to keep their crunch.

Serving Suggestions

Wondering what to serve with peanut noodle salad? Considering you’re getting your protein, starch, and veggies all in one bowl, you really don’t need to serve it with anything—except a glass of something special to wash it all down.

That said, you’re always welcome to swap out the grilled chicken for my firecracker meatballs, healthy Asian turkey meatballs. You can also use these Thai peanut noodles as an alternative to rice in my teriyaki shrimp stir fry and ground turkey teriyaki bowls.

Packing a picnic? My stone fruit salad, honey garlic green beans, and honey sriracha brussels sprouts are all good flavor pairings—plus, they hold up well in transport. And don’t forget dessert! My almond flour peanut butter cookies, cinnamon sugar pretzels, and peanut butter M&M cookies are picnic basket-approved.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Thai peanut noodle sauce will keep well, on its own, in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Once tossed with the sauce and veggies, these peanut noodles should be refrigerated and eaten within 3 days for the best results. (For longer storage, I recommend tossing the noodles in the sauce but keeping the veggies separate until serving.)
Cooked chicken will keep well in the fridge for 5 days.
Cut veggies should be stored in the fridge in separate airtight containers for the best shelf life, and will last for 3-7 days. Sturdier options like carrots and edamame will keep for longer than more delicate things like bell peppers.
I generally eat this as a cold Thai noodle salad, so you don’t really need to reheat anything. I’d recommend leaving it at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before serving to take some of the chill off—this will intensify the flavors.

FAQs

What are some dishes that pair well with Thai peanut sauce?

There are so many, it’d be hard to list them all here! Basically any raw or cooked vegetables are extra delicious when dipped or drizzled in peanut sauce, as are most proteins—shrimp, salmon, chicken, and pork in particular. It’s also great with noodles, particularly soba noodles (like in the recipe for peanut noodle salad below) or to dress your instant ramen. If you’re into Buddha bowls, that’s another great use!

What are the best noodles for peanut noodles?

I personally love the flavor, texture and healthfulness of soba noodles. You can also cook and drain instant ramen noodles or use springy udon noodles (though udon is best served fresh and warm).

What are the ingredients in the peanut sauce from Thai restaurants?

It honestly depends on the restaurant and the recipe. Generally speaking, there will be peanut butter, chili paste or curry paste, some kind of sweetener, fish sauce or soy sauce, fresh alliums like garlic or shallots, something tangy like rice vinegar or lime juice, and water to thin it out. You’ll often find recipes that also include creamy coconut milk and warming ingredients like ginger or galangal and coriander.

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