This flavorful peanut chicken zucchini noodles dish is a healthier and wholesome dinner that has lean protein, plenty of vegetables, and a delectable savory peanut sauce. Feel free to switch up the vegetables and meat, or skip the meat and replace with more vegetables or tofu. Readers have raved about this recipe for years and itโs a team favorite, too.
One reader, Sam, says: โThis is absolutely amazing!! Weโve made it so many times, itโs a biweekly meal for us! I add more chicken because we just love it for lunches too! Thank you!โ
This peanut chicken zucchini noodles dish works on so many levels because itโs:
- Simple and light
- Fresh-tasting and flavorful
- Ready in 40 minutes
- Pretty healthy
- Super versatileโyou can change up the vegetables and protein!
Just like we do when we make bruschetta chicken, weโre replacing regular noodles with zucchini noodles. But TRUST ME when I say you wonโt even miss regular pasta. The zucchini noodles soak up every bit of the savory peanut sauce.
Tell Me About Peanut Chicken Zucchini Noodles
- Texture: Tender vegetables, shredded chicken, and zucchini noodles are coated in a rich, indulgent sauce. The garnishesโsesame seeds, cilantro, peanuts, chopped green onionโadd more flavor, of course, and crunchy textures. One of my very favorite savory zucchini recipes to enjoy throughout the year, but especially during the summer when this veggie is in season.
- Flavor: The peanut sauce is easily the star of the show. As you can imagine from the ingredients used, it has a massive and sophisticated flavor thatโs all at once sweet, savory, and lightly spicy.
- Ease: Youโll need to prep your veggies, spiral the zucchini, and make the sauce, but theyโre all easy tasks.
Choosing the Right Ingredients
Donโt stray from the ingredients listed because each one serves a purpose to round out the flavors in this dish.
- Zucchini. Some stores sell zucchini noodles in the produce section, but you could also do this yourself at home with a spiralizer. If youโre not into zucchini noodles, you can use regular pasta (cook it first) or cut the zucchini into thin strips. See the recipe notes.
- Vegetables. You can use any vegetables, really, but I like using shredded carrots, cabbage, and sliced pepper. Make sure you thinly slice whichever vegetables you use.
- Sesame oil. Sesame oil is essential to this dish because of its unmistakable flavorโit cannot be skipped! Youโll also need a little in the peanut sauce, too. We also use it when making this flavorful honey garlic soy glazed salmon.
- Chicken. I usually boil skinless boneless chicken breasts for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through, and then shred it. But you could also use up leftover chicken or buy a rotisserie chicken and shred the meatโwhatever makes it easy for you. You could also use cooked beef, shrimp, salmon, tofu, or whatever your heart or diet desires.
Easy Peanut Sauce
The peanut sauce is made from only a few ingredients: peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, fresh ginger, rice vinegar, and a little Sriracha for a kick. This recipe is a very loose adaptation of Vietnamese peanut dipping sauce and Chinese peanut sauceโthe main difference is that my version features honey. Many readers end up making this peanut chicken zucchini noodles meal more than once, so my advice is to keep your pantry stocked with the sauce ingredients!
- Use Rice Vinegar. Sweet and delicate rice vinegar is a KEY signature flavor of this dish. Avoid using white wine or white vinegar, which are much too harsh. If you must, you can use cider vinegar, which is milder, but your sauce will not taste the same. Again, rice vinegar is best.
Youโll just need to whisk all of the ingredients together on the stove for about 5 minutes, or until the peanut butter has melted down and the flavors thoroughly combine. I usually do this as the vegetables cook to save some time.
More Favorite Dinner Recipes
- Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken
- Maple Sesame Salmon
- Honey Garlic Shrimp
- Baked Chicken Meatballs
- Citrus Chicken Quinoa Salad
- Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Lemon Thyme Chicken
Peanut Chicken Zucchini Noodles
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: Thai
Description
Mixing up weeknight dinners with this wildly flavorful peanut chicken and veggies dish. The sauce is inspired by two delicious Asian peanut sauces: Vietnamese peanut dipping sauce and Chinese peanut sauce. Keep in mind that it’s a very loose adaption as neither usually contain honey.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons sesame oil (you’ll need more for the peanut sauce below)
- 2 teaspoons minced or chopped garlic
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup thinly sliced cabbage (I use red)
- 1 large bell pepper, thinly sliced (I use red)
- 1.5 lbs (about 680g) zucchini,ย spiralized into noodles*
- 2 large chicken breasts, cooked & shredded (about 2–3 cups)*
- Optional Toppings: 1 Tablespoonย sesame seeds, handful of chopped cilantro, 1/2 cup peanuts, 1 Tablespoon chopped green onion
Peanut Sauce
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/3 cup soy sauce (I use reduced sodium)
- 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar*
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
- 1–2 teaspoons Sriracha or any hot chile sauce
Instructions
- Heat 2 Tablespoons of sesame oil and the garlicย in a large skillet overย medium heat. Add the carrots, cabbage, and pepper slices. Cook for about 5 minutes until theย vegetables are a little tender. (I usually begin the peanut sauce, step 2, during this time.) Once tender, add the zucchini noodles and shredded chicken to the skillet. Cook and stir for about 3 minutes until the zucchini is a little softer and chicken is warm. Turn off the stove and remove from heat. Set aside. (*If your skillet isn’t quite big enough, you can do this step in batches.)
- Combine all of the peanut sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk constantly until the peanut butter has melted and everything is combined. I usually use 2 teaspoons of Sriracha, but use the amount of heat you like.
- Once the sauce is heated through, pour over chicken/vegetables.ย Toss everything around until combined. Place on a serving dish (or not!) and top with sesame seeds, cilantro, peanuts, and green onion. Serve immediately.
- Leftoversย keep well in the refrigerator for a few days. Reheat to your liking.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Large Skillet | Spiralizer | Whisk
- Zucchini:ย Some stores sell zucchini noodles in the produce section, but you could also do this yourself at home with a spiralizer.
- Chicken: I simply boil chicken until cooked throughโabout 12-15 minutes, then shred it. If you have leftover shredded, chicken from another recipe, use that. Or buy a rotisserie chicken from the store and shred the meat.
- Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar is best for this sauce. Do not use white wine or white vinegarโthey’re too harsh. Apple cider vinegar works as a substitute.
- Substitutions: See Choosing the Right Ingredients and Easy Peanut Sauce sections above for explanations of possible substitutions.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi Sally! You had a recipe for spring rolls salad rolls on your website years ago, and with it the BEST peanut sauce I’ve ever had. And then the recipe disappeared! I’ve tried multiple recipes over the years but haven’t found a sauce I loved as much as yours. This recipe has a peanut sauce, but I’m guessing it’s not the same? Would it be possible for you to share the recipe for the dipping sauce once again? I am desperate for it! Thank you!
Hi Kate! We were no longer satisfied with the outcome of that older recipe, so we unpublished it. We still have it, so send us an email and we can forward it to you. sally@sallysbakingaddiction.com
Loved this. Made it with whole wheat soba noodles I had in my pantry, julienned zucchini and bok chow as a substitute for the cabbage I didn’t have. Excellent.
This was fantastic! I have a garden full of zucchini and am looking for more ways to eat it. My only change to the recipe: we made this in the wok, so we stir fried the chicken first, instead of boiling, and then followed the rest of the recipe as called for. It feels good to have a meal full of vegetables, and the peanut sauce is absolutely delicious. Iโve made so many of Sallyโs desserts over the years, but I think this was the first savory dish! Iโll be looking to try more.
Could I use tofu or smoked tofu to make it vegetarian?
Sure can.
Made this. It was fantastic.
This is very good. Definitely recommend the Sriracha and maybe won’t use as much sauce next time. But will definitely make again
This was such a huge hit! My two kids are usually polar opposites with dinner time, but this was unanimously loved. Adding to the rotation!
This recipe is fantastic!! I made basmati rice as a side dish and they were beautiful together! Love the combination of flavor, textures and colors and just the right amount of heat! I canโt wait to make it again!
Delicious! My husband kept exclaiming, “This is restaurant-worthy!” He couldn’t end the night without finishing all the leftovers.
This sounds good. Do you mean toasted sesame oil or โregularโ sesame oil!
Hi Vathu, we use regular.
This recipe is really tasty. You can swap unsweetened sun butter for peanut butter if peanuts are an issue. You can also use coconut aminoโs instead of soy sauce to make it gluten-free. I find that you do not need as much honey if you wanted to cut down on the sugar
I have been making this recipe for years! In more recent times I just use rice noodles and then julienne the zucchini. It has been a staple in our rotation for years.
lovely healthy dinner recipe! Kid-friendly even to a bunch of baseball playing boy; they loved it!
You can always throw in a package of rice or glass noodles for some more volume. It paired up great with the Easy and Flavorful Zucchini Cake the tasted like heaven. perfect for when you need to use up those zucchinis!
We love this meal so much!!! And it is almost better as a left over. The flavors just seem to keep getting better! During the summer I use zucchini, and in the winter, I switch to pasta. It’s one of my favorite meals to serve company, everyone always loves it!
This was great! The sauce is awesome!
What is the calorie count per serving for this recipe?
Hi Maryann, We donโt usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Made this for my vegetarian family, omitting the chicken. I did use bow tie pasta and added chopped peanuts. It was amazing. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
This is amazing & so healthy. The sauce is crave-creating. The first time I made it I ruined it. It turned into purple mush. I had never made zucchini noodles before & they do not take well to too much cooking. The second time I made it I stir-fried the vegetables w/o the zucchini until tender-crisp, transferred them to a big mixing bowl. Heated the chicken & added to the bowl. Then I quickly stir-fried the zucchini, just to remove the raw factor, but not to cook. Then quickly tossed everything together with the sauce in the bowl. It is definitely not something served hot, but warm. Tender-crisp is the most important quality. The pan is also important – a large fry pan or wok, so you don’t over-cook. This is something I’ll be making over & over. Thanks so much Sally!
This was delicious! My husband loves anything Asian, and he really enjoyed it! I have a lot of food allergies, so I used smooth almond butter and soy-free ponzu sauce. I cut down the honey a little, and added a little more almond butter. I also threw some chopped garlic into the sauce. After I zoodled the squash, I placed it between paper towels in a sieve while I prepped the rest of the ingredients. I had no trouble with excess liquid. I cooked the other ingredients before adding the chicken and squash for a short time, as directed. We love heat, so besides the sriracha, I also added some hot sesame oil. I topped the dish with black and white sesame seeds, slivered almonds, cilantro and scallions. Yummm!
Oh my gosh! This was fantastic. I added rice noodles for bulk but I could have eaten the whole thing myself. Husband and BOTH kids enjoyed it as well. Definitely a keeper.
We loved this recipe! Incredible flavor and very easy to pull together. This will definitely go into our rotation. Thank you!
Delicious and easy to make. This recipe worked out exactly like I wanted. I was craving something Thai style, and then came across this recipe. I was particularly surprised by the ease and deliciousness of the peanut sauce. I will be making this many more times.
This was a good meal, I am not a fan of sesame oil so I used OLive oil also used a lot less zucchini in the mix. It was still good
YUMYUMYUM!
My family loves this recipe so much! In the summer I use zucchini noodle, and in the winter I use thin pasta noodles. Both are wonderful!