Magic Noodles (Spicy Thai Peanut Curry Noodles)

Ingredients

Noodles

• 1 (14 ounce) package of linguine style rice noodles

Sauce

• 1 1/2 cups peanut butter (chunky is good!)
• 2 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce (1 tablespoon if you don't enjoy a little kick!)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar, level
• 2 tablespoons yellow curry paste (red works too!)
• 2 (10 ounce) cans coconut milk (shake well before opening)
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Vegetables

• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup broccoli floret
• 1/2 cup asian style pea pods

Chicken

• 8 ounces chicken breasts or firm tofu

Directions

1. 1

   Begin by poaching the chicken breast. (If you are using tofu, bake, fry, or steam your tofu. That is up to you!).

2. 2

   Wrap chicken in a tin-foil wrapper and place in a baking dish. Bake at 425 for about 30 minutes or until cooked completely through. While the chicken is baking, begin the sauce.

3. 3

   Pour the coconut milk into a large skillet with high sides and gently warm on medium heat for a couple minutes. Add the peanut butter and melt. As the peanut butter melts, add in the rest of the sauce (save 1/2 cup chopped peanuts) ingredients and stir fully. Let gently simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes.

4. 4

   Start a large pot of water to boil for the noodles.

5. 5

   Rinse and slice the peppers into thin strips.

6. 6

   Rinse the rest of the veggies and add all of the veggies to the sauce.

7. 7

   Cover and let continue to simmer on lowest heat.

8. 8

   When the chicken is finished cooking, remove it from the oven and the foil & let it rest for a few minutes or until cool enough to slice. Slice the chicken into slices or chunks and add to the sauce and toss.

9. 9

   Rice noodles cook fairly quickly, so keep your eye on them. Add rice noodles to boiling water and let cook according to the package directions (about 6-8 minutes). Test by eating one of the noodles for doneness. Noodle should be al dente -- cooked but not overcooked.

10. 10

    Drain noodles.

11. 11

    Turn off heat.

12. 12

    Add a small amount of the coconut peanut butter sauce to the large pasta pot.

13. 13

    Return the noodles to the pot.

14. 14

    Pour the rest of the sauce with veggies on top of the noodles.

15. 15

    Toss thoroughly.

16. 16

    Serve with a garnish of chopped peanuts on top.