Lemongrass Peanut Noodles with Roast Chicken

Intro

Lemongrass brings lift to a peanut-based noodle bowl, especially against roast chicken and tender noodles. This recipe uses shredded cooked chicken so the sauce can do the work quickly, making the dish feel layered without demanding a long prep session.

Ingredients

• For the noodles: 12 oz rice noodles or wheat noodles, 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, 1 cup bean sprouts, 2 scallions sliced, 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• For the sauce: 1/2 cup lemongrass-peanut, 2 to 3 tbsp warm water, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 tsp fish sauce, 1 tsp brown sugar
• To finish: crushed peanuts, fried shallots, lime wedges

Instructions

1. Cook the noodles until tender but still springy, then drain thoroughly. If using rice noodles, rinse briefly to stop the carryover cooking, then let them sit in the colander for a minute so excess water drains away.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the lemongrass peanut sauce, warm water, lime juice, fish sauce, and brown sugar until smooth. The sauce should taste bright at the edges and slightly stronger than you want on the plate, since the noodles and chicken will mellow it.
3. Add the warm noodles and toss until evenly coated. Fold in the shredded chicken while the noodles are still warm so the sauce lightly coats and seasons the meat instead of leaving it as a separate layer.
4. Add the bean sprouts, scallions, and cilantro and toss once or twice, just enough to distribute them without wilting them down too much. Finish with crushed peanuts, fried shallots, and lime.
5. Serve immediately or just warm. The bowl should feel rich but lifted, with little bursts of crunch from the sprouts and shallots.

Why This Works

Lemongrass adds aromatic brightness that cuts through the richness of both peanut sauce and roast chicken, giving the noodles more shape and freshness.