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Spicy Soba Noodle Salad

This soba noodle salad can be served warm or at room temperature, and includes a mixture of chicken thighs, soba noodles, bell peppers, cabbage, among other vegetables.
The sauce for the dish consists of peanut butter mixed with a number of Asian-inspired ingredients, including soy sauce, scallions, sesame seeds, oyster sauce, and Sriracha.
You can use any vegetables and herbs you like here, although I find fresh cilantro and basil work wonderfully. Some fresh mint might also be nice.
The following recipe provides roughly eight servings, and can easily be turned into an entree.

Ingredients

For the Spicy Peanut Sauce:

  • ¼ cup water
  • 3 Tbsp white granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup oyster sauce
  • ¼ cup peanut butter
  • ¼ cup Sriracha
  • 1 scallion (very finely sliced)
  • 2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp togarashi spice
  • 1 Tbsp black sesame seeds (lightly toasted)
  • Zest of 2 limes
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 1 Tbsp sesame oil

For the Remaining Salad Ingredients:

  • 16 oz 1 lb dried soba noodles
  • 2 Tbsp sunflower seed oil
  • 24 oz 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1.5 tsp Kosher salt
  • 3 scallions (finely sliced)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger (minced)
  • ½ red bell pepper (medium dice)
  • ½ green bell pepper (medium dice)
  • 2 cups red cabbage (finely sliced)
  • ½ red onion (finely sliced)
  • 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro (finely sliced, as garnish)
  • ¼ cup fresh basil (finely sliced, as garnish)
  • ¼ cup peanuts (toasted and roughly chopped, as garnish)
  • 1 or 2 fresh limes (cut into wedges, for serving)

Instructions 

For the Spicy Peanut Sauce:

  • Place ¼ cup of water in a small sauce pot on the stove.
  • Increase the heat to high, and bring the water up to a simmer.
  • Add the three Tablespoons of white granulated sugar, and stir to combine until the sugar is dissolved in the water.
  • Remove the mixture from the heat, and stir in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, peanut butter, and Sriracha.
  • Add the sliced scallion, red pepper flakes, togarashi spice, and lightly toasted black sesame seeds.
  • Add the zest and juice of two limes, along with one Tablespoon of sesame oil.
  • Taste the sauce, and add more sweetness, acidity, heat, or soy sauce if desired.

For the Remaining Salad Ingredients:

  • Cook the soba noodles for slightly less time than the instructions on the packaging suggest.
  • Immediately drain and rinse the partially-cooked noodles under cold water right before they are done cooking.
  • Set the partially-cooked noodles aside for later.
  • In a large sauté pan, add the sunflower seed oil and increase the heat to medium-high.
  • Salt your diced chicken thighs, and add the chicken to the hot sauté pan with the sunflower seed oil.
  • Cook the chicken thighs for 5-7 minutes, or until the exterior is gently browned and the inside of the chicken is fully cooked-through.
  • When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pan and set it aside on a plate.
  • Add a splash of water to the sauté pan that you used to cook the chicken.
  • Add the sliced scallions, minced garlic, minced ginger, diced bell pepper, and sliced red cabbage and onions.
  • Cook the vegetables while stirring until they are tender, or roughly five minutes, and then add back in the cooked chicken from earlier.
  • Add the bean sprouts, along with some of the peanut sauce that you prepared earlier.
  • *You don’t need to use all of the prepared peanut sauce, use as much as you like!
  • Cook for an additional minute until the soba noodles and sauce are warm.
  • Serve warm, with fresh cilantro, basil, peanuts, and lime juice.

Notes

Any leftover sauce can be used later on during the week—it tastes great with roasted vegetables, or served with chicken breast!
You can serve this salad cold the next day, although note that the peanut butter sauce will thicken once it cools down.