Spring Vegetables and Chicken Peanutty Pasta
Spring Vegetables and Chicken Peannuty Pasta
I love peanut butter. And so does my adorable black Labrador, Cooper. All I have to do is barely unscrew the lid to the jar and he comes running. Man, dogs have an amazing olfactory system. A crumb falls to the ground and Cooper is there to lick it up. Who needs a mop when you have a dog around. Right? Cooper’s favorite treat in the whole world is his red “pineapple”, a rubber toy with an empty core into which I put a scoop of peanut butter. It takes him a good amount of time to lick it all out, and with amazing patience and relish.
Well I do the same thing with this Peanutty Pasta dish. The sauce is “plate-licking” good with a touch of spice from the Sriracha sauce. You can use any vegetables you have on hand, like snow peas, sugar snap peas, green peas, mushrooms, celery, water chestnuts, zucchini, red peppers, you name it. I happened to have broccoli, cauliflower and carrots on hand so that’s what I used. Finding ways to incorporate vegetables into our lives is essential to good health and longevity. Always look to add vegetables at every eating experience. Thanks to pre-cut and ready-to-eat bags of veggies on produce shelves, it is much easier. Check out other recipes you might like from the list below.
Thanks to NourishRD for the inspiration on this recipe. I added chicken, changed a few ingredients in the sauce and served it warm. It is just as tasty served cold so save some for lunch tomorrow!
- Spring Vegetables and Chicken Peanutty Pasta
- 1 cup dry whole grain rotini pasta (I use whole grain Barilla-yellow box)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup small broccoli florets
- 1 cup small cauliflower florets
- 1 cup asparagus spears, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup shredded or julienne-cut carrots
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups cooked and diced chicken breasts
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup chunky natural peanut butter
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1-2 Tbsp Sriracha sauce (depending on how spicy you prefer)
- 1 Tbsp agave nectar
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- Fresh Cilantro Stems
- Sliced Green Onion
- Chopped Peanuts
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain, and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet placed over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, carrots and garlic; cook and stir until vegetables are crisp tender, adding a little water as needed to keep from browning. Stir in chicken, cilantro and cooked pasta,tossing to combine. Remove from heat.
- For the sauce: Combine peanut butter and water in a small microwaveable dish. Microwave on HIGH for 20 seconds until soft, whisking until smooth. Add soy sauce, Sriracha, agave nectar, rice vinegar, and sesame oil, whisking to combine.
- Pour sauce over the vegetable mixture and toss.
- Serve with fresh cilantro, sliced green onion and chopped peanuts.
You might also enjoy:
Thai Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Asian Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry
Italian Style Spaghetti Squash
Citrus Green Bean with Almonds
