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If you need a quick dinner that still feels homemade and full of flavor, these Sweet and Spicy Noodles with Chicken are always a win. Tender chicken, flavorful noodles, and a sweet, tangy, slightly spicy sauce come together in one easy meal that tastes way better than takeout. It is simple enough for a busy weeknight but good enough to make again and again.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“I followed this recipe exactly and it was absolutely delicious. My husband, 13 year old and I loved it! I will probably add some broccoli next time just to get a vegetable in but it was so yummy. I will definitely be making this again.” – Laura
Why I Love This Noodle Dish
I love this recipe because it is one of those dinners that checks all the boxes. I first tried this recipe when my mother-in-law made it for me and I fell in love. Over the years we have made a few changes how we prepare it but all the good flavor is the same.
It is easy, filling, full of flavor, and flexible depending on what I have in the kitchen. The chicken is marinated in peanut sauce, which gives it so much flavor, and the noodles soak up the sweet and spicy sauce so well. I also love that I can switch up the noodles, add extra veggies, or adjust the spice level depending on who I am serving. It is one of those reliable recipes I come back to when I want something quick and tasty that everyone will actually eat.
🩷 Emily
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken: I use chicken breasts and marinate them in peanut sauce to make them extra flavorful and juicy.
- Noodles: Yaki soba noodles are my favorite, but angel hair, spaghetti, ramen, or rice noodles all work well too.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic adds a lot of flavor to the sauce.
- Oils: Olive oil and vegetable oil help create a smooth, rich sauce.
- Sauce ingredients: White vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes make the sweet, tangy, spicy sauce.
- Garnishes: Chopped cilantro and peanuts add freshness and crunch right before serving.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
This recipe is easy to adjust based on what you have on hand.
- Swap the protein: Shrimp or tofu both work really well in place of chicken.
- Change the noodles: If you do not have yaki soba noodles, try angel hair, spaghetti, ramen, or rice noodles.
- Use the right vinegar: Distilled white vinegar works best here.
- Adjust the heat: Red pepper flakes add a nice kick, but sriracha is a great substitute too.
- Add vegetables: Bell peppers, cabbage, green beans, onions, carrots, or snow peas are all good additions.
- Add sesame oil: A small drizzle can give the sauce even more flavor.
- Reduce the oil if needed: You can cut it back a little if you prefer, but I would not leave it out completely.
How to Make Sweet and Spicy Noodles with Chicken
- Prepare chicken and noodles. Coat the chicken breasts in peanut sauce and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Then grill and slice. Cook or warm the noodles according to the package directions.
- Make the sauce. In a large skillet, sauté the garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the vegetable oil, white vinegar, sugar, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is warmed through.
- Toss the noodles. Add the noodles to the skillet and stir until they are fully coated in the sauce.
- Assemble and serve. Divide the noodles into bowls, top with sliced chicken, and garnish with chopped cilantro and peanuts.
Recipe Tips
- Marinate the chicken ahead of time for even better flavor.
- Do not overcook the sauce. You just want everything heated through and combined.
- Heat pre-cooked noodles first so they mix into the sauce more easily.
- Taste before serving and add more spice if you want a little more heat.
- Let the chicken rest before slicing so it stays juicy.
- Add vegetables if you want to make it more of a complete one-bowl meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! We love using grilled chicken, but we have also made this recipe using shrimp and both are really good! Even try it with tofu for a lighter version. We haven’t tried it with beef or pork or tofu, but if you try it that way, be sure to leave a comment and let us know how it works out.
We always love to add vegetables to any meal! Simply cook red bell pepper, sliced cabbage, green beans, snow peas, sliced onions, or chopped carrots to the top of the noodles then add the chicken and stir together.
Chili garlic sauce or sriracha sauce are both great options to add on top when about to eat.
Yaki soba noodles are my favorite for this recipe, but angel hair, spaghetti, ramen, and rice noodles all work well too.
Yes. They still need to be heated and loosened before adding them to the sauce.
Distilled white vinegar is the best choice for this recipe.
Yes. You can cook it on the stovetop if that is easier.
That depends on the thickness, but about 7 to 8 minutes per side is a good starting point.
Make Ahead and Storage
You can marinate the chicken ahead of time to make dinner even easier later. You can also prep the sauce ingredients in advance so everything is ready to go when you need it.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet until warmed through. I also think these noodles taste really good cold the next day, which makes them perfect for lunch.
Pairing Ideas
These Sweet and Spicy Noodles with Chicken go really well with a simple veggie side like Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad, Sautéed Asparagus, or Oven Roasted Vegetables. If you want to make the meal a little bigger, I would also serve them with Sausage Egg Rolls, fresh fruit, or steamed edamame. Since the noodles already have so much flavor, I like to keep the sides simple.
More Noodles Recipes
If you love cooking with noodles in any form, you will definitely enjoy some of these other great recipes. They are so simple to make and come together quickly on a busy night. You will have to try them all!
These Sweet and Spicy Noodles with Chicken are one of my favorite go-to dinners because they are quick, flavorful, and easy to customize. Between the tender chicken, the saucy noodles, and the sweet and spicy flavor, this is one of those recipes that always disappears fast at our house.
If you make it, I would love to hear what kind of noodles you used or if you added any extra veggies. Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out. 💛
Sweet and Spicy Noodles with Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts, marinated in peanut sauce (we just use the House of Tsang Peanut Sauce from the grocery store)
- 1 pound noodles, fully cooked (we used Yaki Soba noodles, but I have also done angel hair)
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/8 cup sesame seeds
- 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- chopped cilantro, to taste for garnish
- chopped peanuts, to taste for garnish
Instructions
- At least an hour before cooking, put the chicken breasts in some peanut sauce to marinate in the fridge (the longer the better). Or if using pre-grilled chicken, toss it in some peanut sauce.
- If you need to cook the noodles, begin boiling them in a large pot over the stove. We usually buy the fully cooked Yaki Soba noodles. if you did you can just warm and loosen the noodles.
- In a large fry pan, over medium heat, brown the minced garlic in the olive oil.
- Then add the vegetable oil, vinegar, sugar, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes. Stir together until sauce heats up and sugar dissolves.
- Add the cooked noodles to the sauce and stir to coat, keep over the stove on low heat.
- Grill the chicken over medium heat for 7-8 min on each side or until center is no longer pink. When chicken is fully cooked, put noodles into individual bowls with grilled and sliced chicken over the top.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and chopped peanuts.
Equipment
- Outdoor Barbecue Grill
Notes
- Yaki soba noodles are my favorite, but angel hair, spaghetti, ramen, and rice noodles all work well.
- Distilled white vinegar gives the best flavor here.
- If using pre-cooked noodles, heat and loosen them before adding them to the sauce.
- Sriracha can be used instead of red pepper flakes.
- Shrimp or tofu can be used in place of chicken.
- Bell peppers, cabbage, snow peas, onions, carrots, and green beans all make great additions.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Everything looks lovely 😍.
Our family of 5 picky eaters looovvvveeee this recipe!
Hurray! It’s a win! Thank you for sharing!
I followed this recipe exactly and it was absolutely delicious. My husband, 13 year old and I loved it! I will probably add some broccoli next time just to get a vegetable in but it was so yummy. I will definitely be making this again.
Really enjoyed this. Only thing I would suggest is clarifying on the noodles. I got precooked Yakisoba noodles and put them in raw first time around thinking they would cook in the sauce. I didn’t realize you meant “cook” them in the microwave first. My mistake. I started over and did it right the second time. Nonetheless, this dish was fantastic and boyfriend asked for it again soon!
I love this recipe! It is one of the few things I cook that my whole family enjoys, and it’s super quick and tastes good cold the next day for lunch.
What kind of white vinegar did you use? Distilled? White wine? Rice vinegar?
I used Distilled White Vinegar. Thanks for asking!
My bf and I made this for the family tonight. It was freakin delicious! I’ll definitely be making it again. The 4 and 7 yr olds loved it. Win.
Thank you! It’s seriously one of my favorites!
Made this tonight with rice noodles. It was excellent! I loved the sauce. Will definitely be making it again.
Thank you so much! So happy that you liked it!
i don’t have any red pepper flakes! Do u think I could use a bit of Sriracha instead?!
Yes! Sriracha is a great substitute. 🙂 I put it on everything! – Erica
Hey… nice recipe. Will surely try. Could you pls guide me to the grilled chicken? I mean time, temperature, etc.
we generally cook it about 7 to 8 minutes on each side. It helps if you let the chicken sit at room temperature a little while before grilling.
Thanks and at what temperature. Actually don’t have a oven, will try in Microwave Convection.
This recipe doesn’t require an oven. You can cook the chicken in your Microwave Convection oven instead of grilling the chicken if you don’t have a barbecue grill. Your microwave owner’s manual should have directions for cooking chicken thoroughly. The rest of the recipe is made on the stove top. This is a yummy recipe – you will love it!
We had these for dinner tonight and they were amazing. Thanks for the recipe.
I reduced the oil so I could add in some fiery sesame oil. That may have been a wonderful mistake. Let’s just say our sinuses were completely clear! Also, I’m surprise there were no veggies. I threw some frozen mixed veggies and it added a LOT! It broke it up visually and textually.
…err “texturally”.
It was really good but my noodles were a little oily (I used angel hair). Do you think the oil is a necessary part of the sauce or could I reduce or skip it next time?
I would try reducing the oil, but not completely cutting it out. Maybe try just a Tbsp or two.
Where do you usually buy the yaki soba noodles?
I have gotten them at the grocery store, in the refrigerated section next to the produce. But when I can, I like to get them from the local asian market here. They have a stock of fresh noodles in their refrigerated section.
I totally know I’d love this one!!
It is pretty tasty! You will have to let us know if you make it Deborah!
I know what I’m having for dinner tonight!