Sesame Chicken Asparagus Pasta with Creamy Peanut Sauce
Yield: 5servings
Prep Time: 20 minutesmins
Cook Time: 10 minutesmins
Total Time: 30 minutesmins
Ingredients
Pasta, Chicken and Extras:
8ounceslinquine, thin spaghetti or regular spaghetti (whole wheat works great)
3cupsdiced cooked chicken, (rotisserie chicken meat works great here as well)
1poundasparagus, tough ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
¼cupsesame seeds, toasted (optional but adds great flavor)
3green onions, chopped
½English cucumber, diced
1cuphalved cherry tomatoes
Chopped fresh cilantro, to taste
Peanut Sauce:
3clovesgarlic, minced
1tablespoonred wine or rice vinegar
1tablespoonbrown sugar or honey
6tablespoonschunky or smooth peanut butter
¼cuplow-sodium soy sauce
Hot sauce, like sriracha, to taste
3tablespoonssesame oil
1tablespoonolive oil
Pinchof black pepper
Instructions
In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the linguine according to package directions. During the last two minutes of cooking time, add the asparagus pieces. Drain the pasta and asparagus together in a colander.
While the pasta cooks, make the sauce by combining the garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, peanut butter, soy sauce, and hot sauce in a blender or food processor. Blend until well-combined. With the blender or food processor running, drizzle in the sesame and olive oil and process until blended and smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed. Set aside.
Transfer the pasta and asparagus to a large serving bowl. Add the chicken. Pour the sauce over the top along with two tablespoons of the sesame seeds. Toss to combine so the ingredients are coated with the sauce.
Top the pasta dish with the green onions, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, cilantro and sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Notes
Vegetables: you could easily sub in other vegetables for the asparagus: broccoli, peas, cauliflower come to mind. Chicken: also the chicken could easily be left out for a vegetarian meal or for a side dish option. Here is a simple skillet method for quick, shredded chicken.