Peanut Noodles with Shredded Chicken

Arizona summers demand easy, cold dishes that are still satisfying after a long day of work. In comes this delicious noodle dish, which I found in the May 2009 issue of Good Housekeeping. I don't consider myself a GH woman (yet?), but I received a subscription as part of a bridal shower gift from a wonderful bridesmaid, and I have really enjoyed its practical cleaning tips and creative recipes. (I even enjoy the articles about crafting!)

This dish is in regular rotation at the McNamee house, and it holds well in the refrigerator for a few days so it makes a great leftover lunch.

Peanut Noodles with Shredded Chicken

Time: 30 minutes

Makes 6 main-dish servings

12 oz thick spaghetti or linguini (I used spaghetti brown rice pasta from Trader Joe's)

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

4 medium skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (organic!)

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce (I used organic Nama Shoyu, a fermented soy sauce you can find at Whole Foods)

1/3 cup smooth peanut butter

2 teaspoon grated peeled ginger

1 small kirby cucumber (4-6 oz), thinly sliced

1 bag (8-10 oz) shredded carrots

1 medium red pepper, thinly sliced (organic! peppers are on the "Dirty Dozen" list)

Cilantro sprigs for garnish

**NOTE: I see recipes as "suggestions," so I often cook to taste. We really like extra sauce, so I usually add more vinegar, Nama Shoyu, and ginger to taste. Additionally, feel free to add more veggies as I do, especially if you make more sauce.

I love Trader Joe's brown rice spaghetti pasta. Gluten free and a whole grain with only one ingredient (brown rice!), it tastes delicious.

Here are my main sauce ingredients (minus the ginger):

As you can see, I sometimes use crunchy peanut butter because I think it adds some nice texture...and it was in my cupboard.

1. Heat a large covered sauce pot of salted water to boiling on high. Add pasta and cook as label directs. Drain pasta. Rinse again under cold water; drain again. **If using brown rice pasta, be sure to follow the label and not overcook.

(I just have to mention...how cute is this colander? If you can't tell, the holes for water draining are shaped like strawberries! Thanks to my wonderful mother-in-law!)

2. Meanwhile, in a covered 12-inch skillet, heat garlic and 1 inch of water to boiling on high. Add chicken; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 13-14 minutes or until chicken loses its pink color throughout. With slotted spoon or tongs, remove chicken from skillet and place in large bowl of ice water; chill 5 minutes. Discard poaching liquid. Drain chicken; with hands, shred chicken. **I used frozen organic chicken so I steamed the chicken in a steamer basket over boiling water, and it worked beautifully.

3. While pasta and chicken cook, in a large bowl, whisk vinegar, soy sauce, peanut butter, water, and ginger until smooth.

4. To bowl with peanut sauce, add drained pasta, shredded chicken, cucumber, carrots, and pepper; toss to coat. To serve, garnish with cilantro.

It's truly delicious, and I've served it to a few foodies who really enjoy it as well!

*M*