Sesame Peanut Chicken Noodles are a quick and easy weeknight dinner made with tender chicken, soft egg noodles, and a creamy sesame peanut sauce that tastes better than takeout.

This Chinese-inspired chicken noodle recipe is full of savory, slightly sweet, nutty flavor and comes together fast, making it perfect for busy nights when you need something filling and family-friendly.

These dinner egg noodles are a great option for kids and adults because the sauce is mild, creamy, and packed with flavor without being too spicy.

It also reheats well, so it’s an easy lunch the next day straight out of the fridge. I’ll usually serve it next to Homemade Japanese Chicken Yakisoba Noodles or Crispy Shrimp with Stir Fried Pepper and Onion when I’m feeding a bigger group.

If you’re into quick noodle dinners like this one, these are worth a look too:

Ingredients You’ll Need

Egg noodles hold the sauce better than thin rice noodles (they’ve got more surface texture to grab onto). Corn flour on the chicken is the real trick here, it crisps up in the pan without deep frying, and a simple peanut butter and soy sauce blend turns into a glossy sauce with almost no effort.

Ingredients

8 oz egg noodles
1 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons corn flour (cornstarch)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for cooking
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 tablespoons warm water, to thin the sauce
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts, for garnish
2 green onions, sliced, for garnish

Directions

Cook the egg noodles in well-salted boiling water according to the package directions.
Drain and toss with a small splash of oil so they don’t clump while you finish the rest of the recipe.
Set them aside in the colander; you’ll add them straight to the pan with the chicken later.
In a bowl, toss the chicken pieces with the corn flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper until every piece is evenly coated.
The corn flour is what gives the chicken its light crisp crust, so make sure it’s coated well and not just dusted on one side.
Let it sit for 5 minutes if you have time. It helps the coating stick better once the chicken hits the hot oil.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
Add the chicken in a single layer, working in batches if needed so the pieces aren’t touching (crowding the pan keeps the coating from crisping).
Cook for 6-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown on the outside and cooked through.
While the chicken cooks, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, and minced garlic in a small bowl.
Add warm water a tablespoon at a time, whisking until the sauce is smooth and pourable, similar to heavy cream.
Taste it here. It should be salty, a little sweet, and nutty all at once. If it’s too thick, add another splash of water.
Return all the cooked chicken to the skillet and add the drained noodles directly on top.
Pour the peanut sauce over everything and toss with tongs until the noodles and chicken are evenly coated.
Cook for 1-2 minutes over low heat just to warm everything through and let the sauce cling to the noodles.
Top with chopped peanuts and sliced green onions, then serve warm.

Important Recipe Notes

Cut the chicken into even, bite-size pieces. Uneven pieces cook at different rates, so some end up dry while others are still undercooked.
Don’t skip the corn flour coating. It’s what gives the chicken its light, crisp texture without needing to deep fry anything.

Cook the chicken in batches if your pan is small. Crowding the skillet steams the chicken instead of browning it, and you lose the crisp edges.
Thin the peanut sauce gradually. Add the warm water a little at a time. It’s much easier to thin a thick sauce than to fix one that’s gone too watery.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce thickens as it sits, so loosen it with a splash of water when reheating.
Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water stirred in. High heat can break the peanut sauce and make it look separated, though it still tastes fine.
This one comes together fast once everything’s prepped, but the chopping and sauce-making take a bit longer than the actual cooking, so prep everything before you turn on the stove.

How to Serve, Store & Customize This Recipe

Serving:

Put the noodles into shallow bowls and finish with extra chopped peanuts, green onions, and a few sesame seeds if you have them.

A side of steamed broccoli or a quick cucumber salad keeps the meal balanced without much extra work.

Storing:

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The noodles will soak up more of the sauce as they sit, so they might taste even better the next day.

Add a splash of water when reheating to loosen everything back up.

Customizing:

Swap the chicken for shrimp or tofu if you want a change, just adjust the cook time since both cook faster than chicken thighs.

Add sriracha or red pepper flakes to the sauce if you want some heat. Rice noodles work in place of egg noodles, though the sauce won’t cling quite as well.

Sesame Peanut Chicken Noodles

Course: Recipes

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Ingredients

8 oz egg noodles
1 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons corn flour (cornstarch)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for cooking
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 tablespoons warm water, to thin the sauce
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts, for garnish
2 green onions, sliced, for garnish

Directions

Cook the egg noodles, drain, and toss with a little oil to keep them from sticking.
Toss the chicken pieces with corn flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Sear the coated chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through.
Whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, and garlic into a smooth sauce.
Combine the chicken and noodles in the skillet and toss with the peanut sauce.
Garnish with chopped peanuts and green onions, then serve warm.

Notes

You can use egg noodles, lo mein noodles, spaghetti, linguine, or rice noodles for this recipe. Egg noodles give the best soft, chewy texture for a cozy weeknight dinner.
If the sesame peanut sauce feels too thick, add a splash of warm water, chicken broth, or reserved noodle water until it coats the noodles nicely.
Use creamy peanut butter for a smooth sauce. Natural peanut butter can work too, but you may need to whisk the sauce a little longer because it separates.
For a kid-friendly version, keep the sauce mild and skip chili flakes or sriracha. Adults can add spice at the end.