This easy recipe for cold sesame chicken noodles is the perfect one dish supper, with the perfect blend of peanut and sesame flavored sauce mixed with linguine, chicken and crunchy cucumber. It’s a terrific way to use up leftover chicken – and a great reason to toss out that take-out menu!
One of the reasons I always always ALWAYS make more chicken than we can use for one meal is so that I have cooked chicken lounging around in the fridge for recipes like this one for cold sesame chicken noodles. It is a fun and flavorful one dish meal that uses ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, and it is endlessly customizable (more on that later). So the next time you find yourself with some leftover chicken and a yearning for cold noodles…well, let’s make it!
You need a couple of cups of cooked shredded chicken, preferably nice and cool from the fridge. The sauce is a blend of peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil and vinegar, and after that, you can feel free to customize this recipe to your heart’s content. I use plain old linguine pasta for this, although you absolutely could use soba noodles, or even spaghetti. No cucumber? Shredded carrots, chopped red pepper, steamed broccoli or practically any other veggie will do.
If you are looking for a chicken recipe to make too much of, try my beloved buttermilk grilled chicken, which you can enjoy for supper one day, and then later in the week have a scrumptious meal of cold sesame chicken noodles. Hurray for leftovers!
Cold Sesame Chicken Noodles
This easy recipe for cold sesame chicken noodles is the perfect one dish supper, with the perfect blend of peanut and sesame flavored sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
- 8 ounces linguine
- 1 cucumber
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 cups shredded cooked cold chicken
- Fresh ground pepper
- 2 chopped scallions
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Tabasco or other hot sauce (optional!)
Instructions
- Cook linguine according to package directions, then drain under cold water until cool.
- While linguine is cooking, cut the cucumber up into small chunks or strips.
- Make sauce by combining sesame oil, peanut butter, soy sauce and vinegar. Whisk it together, thinning it with a little hot water if you need to.
- Place cooked pasta in a mixing bowl and add sauce. Toss (the easiest way to do this is with clean hands), and then add chicken, cucumber, scallions and pepper. Toss again.
- Divide among four plates, garnish with sesame seeds and pass the hot sauce so everyone can spice up their noodles (or not!)
Jenny says
I’ve been making this recipe since you originally posted it in 2011 but this recipe doesn’t seem to have the same ingredients. Is there any way you can share the old one with the garlic, ginger, brown sugar?
Hi Jenny! Yes, I did change it up a little – I sometimes update recipes when I find a better way to make them. I’m sorry I don’t have my notes on the original, but here’s one from another blog that you might like – just add the chicken in! :) Hope this helps! https://www.thegarlicdiaries.com/simple-sesame-noodles/
Jenny says
Did you change this recipe? I’ve been making it for years from your site (always a hit with friends and family) and I recall it having toasted sesame seeds, garlic, ginger and brown sugar.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
Hurray for leftovers is right when you can create a meal as good as this one.
We think along the same lines, my friend! :)
Theresa m Murphy says
Made a double batch of this for dinner tonight and the teens went wild for it. One question; when do you add the green onions? Toss them in with the chicken and cucumber or use as a garnish with the sesame seeds? I winged it and tossed in with the other chunky bits and it was delicious.
Oh my goodness, thank goodness for you. They go in with the cucumbers, etc – just updated the recipe. Meantime, I love being teen-approved – I miss those days!!
Theresa Murphy says
:)
Rosemary says
I just made this for dinner with regular linguini, and red pepper flakes in place of hot sauce. It was a huge hit with my son, his friend, and me! Thanks for another great recipe! :-)
Hurray!! Love your variations, too. :)
Theresa Murphy says
Cooked, shredded chicken is something I ALWAYS try to have on hand. I will oven poach 6 – 8 large boneless, skinless breasts on a Sunday, shred it all up then portion it out into ziptop freezer bags and stash in my freezer. This is so handy for using in quick weeknight suppers like chicken enchiladas, stew, and now…cold sesame chicken noodles!
We are sisters in chicken-making…and now I want chicken enchiladas! :)
Rosemary says
This looks amazing! With soba noodles, it would be healthy comfort food. I’m excited to make this!
Hurray! Tell me how it comes out with the soba noodles. ?
Sue says
You think I could use zucchini noodles? Sounds delicious!
I do! Just toss very gently. ?