Spicy sesame noodles with chicken and peanuts

If you are looking for a weeknight dinner that packs a punch, these spicy sesame noodles are exactly what you need. This fiery, flavor-forward dish utilizes a sizzling chile-peanut oil that creates a bold base for tender noodles and savory, browned chicken. As reported by 205focus.com, the magic happens when you pour hot oil over red-pepper flakes, orange peel, and crunchy peanuts, allowing those vibrant flavors to develop while you brown your protein.

Quick Tips for Success

This recipe is highly adaptable. While ground chicken is the standard, you can easily swap it for ground pork, beef, or even crumbled tofu. For those who want a bit of extra freshness, toss in a quick-cooking green vegetable during the final stage of cooking the meat. The resulting chile-peanut oil is so good that you can even keep any extra in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Recipe Overview

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons red-pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil (plus more as needed)
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon neutral oil (grapeseed or vegetable)
• 6 tablespoons roasted, salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
• Rind of 1/2 orange, cut into 2- to 3-inch strips
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 10 to 12 ounces ramen or udon noodles (fresh preferred)
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives

Instructions

1. In a heatproof bowl, combine red-pepper flakes, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Keep this near your stove.
2. Boil a large pot of salted water. In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, toast the peanuts and orange rind in 1/2 cup of neutral oil until golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully pour this sizzling mixture into your red-pepper bowl and set aside.
3. Using the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high. Add the chicken, pressing it into a thin layer. Season well with salt and pepper. Cook undisturbed for 5 to 7 minutes to get a good sear, then break into pieces and finish cooking for 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Cook your noodles according to package instructions until chewy. Drain and toss lightly with sesame oil.
5. Remove the orange rind from your chile oil. Off the heat, toss the cooked chicken with enough chile oil to coat, scraping the pan to collect all the flavor. Add the noodles, toss thoroughly, garnish with fresh chives, and serve immediately.