This post was last updated on March 26, 2020 by India
Vietnamese Noodle Bowls with Peanut Chicken combines fresh, spicy, and sweet flavors all in one addicting dish! Thin vermicelli rice noodles are mixed with fresh herbs and vegetables, tossed in a tangy paleo Nuoc Cham sauce, and topped with Spicy Peanut Chicken!
About Vietnamese Noodle Bowls with Peanut Chicken
This recipe has got to be one of my favorites. The flavors are insane (think lots of fresh and fragrant herbs like cilantro and mint), there is an interesting variety of textures (crunchy vegetables! grilled chicken! rice noodles!), and it’s fresh, spicy, sweet and tangy all at once. It’s the ultimate one bowl meal that is truly addicting. I love this dish because it is healthy without compromising flavor, taste, or texture. I love the combination of crispy fresh vegetables with warm noodles paired with the Spicy Peanut chicken breasts all tossed in the tangy, sweet paleo Nuoc Cham sauce. Vietnamese Noodle Bowls are great for weeknight dinners when you have a little bit of extra time or making for friends. Leftovers get better as the sauce marinates on the noodles. It packs well and is easy to reheat, making this perfect for lunch the next day.
Ingredients in Vietnamese Noodle Bowls with Spicy Peanut Chicken
Here’s what you need to make these addicting Vietnamese Noodle Bowls with Spicy Peanut Chicken:
- Rice Noodles. Vermicelli rice noodles are my favorite to use in this recipe because they’re easy to prepare, soak up the flavorful Nuoc Cham sauce, and are more traditional in Vietnamese cooking. You can use any type of rice noodle you prefer though, like the thicker stir fry type of noodle!
- Vegetables. Fresh carrots and shredded cabbage provide some much needed healthy veggies to this meal and give some delicious crunch!
- Fresh herbs. Mint and cilantro are both traditional herbs in Vietnamese cuisine and is what we use in this recipe. Fresh basil would also be delicious! I love the bright flavors from the fresh herbs.
- Fish Sauce: A little stinky, fish sauce is a staple in Vietnamese cooking. It doesn’t taste fishy — just gives a little funk. I prefer the Red Boat brand, but if you can’t find that just be sure to check the ingredients to ensure it is gluten free. The basic ingredients are fish, salt, and water. Thai Kitchen is another decent brand and is gluten free, though it does have added sugar.
- Peanut Sauce: You can use store bought or make your own peanut sauce or Spicy Peanut Sauce. If you’re using store bought sauce, be sure to check the ingredients to make sure it is gluten free, if necessary. Add some Sambal Oelek to make the store bought sauce spicy!
- Chicken. Or substitute your favorite protein like shrimp or tofu!
- Coconut Oil. I love the slightly sweet coconut flavor that the coconut oil gives, but if you prefer you can use a neutral oil like avocado oil. It needs to have a higher smoke point since it’s used to sear the chicken, so avoid olive oil.
- Honey. Traditionally white sugar is used in Nuoc Cham sauce, but I prefer to use honey to keep this refined sugar free.
- Lime. Totally optional but is so delicious when squeezed over the noodle bowls right before serving.
- Jalapeno. Totally optional but gives an addicting spice to this dish!
How to Make Vietnamese Noodle Bowls with Peanut Chicken
This recipe has three main components to it. Here’s how you make these Vietnamese Noodle Bowls with Peanut Chicken
- Make the Nuoc Cham sauce. Make the honey simple syrup by warming equal parts honey and water in a. small sauce pan. Add fish sauce for flavor, lime juice for tang, chopped jalapeño for heat, and fresh cilantro. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- Prepare the noodles and veggies. Cook the noodles according to package directions. Once cooked, drain and place noodles in a large bowl. Add the vegetables, fresh herbs, and Nuoc Cham sauce. Toss to coat everything and set aside.
- Cook the chicken. Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the chicken. Don’t move the chicken for about two minutes on each side to ensure it sears properly. Flipping about every two minutes or so, cook the chicken until it reaches 165 degrees, which takes about 8 minutes. Once the chicken is finished, toss with homemade Spicy Peanut Sauce or store bought peanut sauce.
- Serve! Divide the noodles evenly into 4 bowls, top with the peanut chicken and any additional jalapeños or lime slices and enjoy!
What is Nuoc Cham Sauce?
Let’s talk about Nuoc Cham sauce. Traditional Nuoc Cham is a mixture of sugar, water, fish sauce, lime juice with a birds eye chili typically added for heat. I try to avoid refined white sugar when I can, so I use honey simple syrup to sweeten my sauce. To make honey simple syrup, simply warm equal parts honey and water in a small sauce pan until the honey melts into the water. The whole process truly takes about a minute. To finish the Nuoc Cham Suace, a heavy dose of fish sauce is added for flavor, lime juice is necessary for tang, chopped jalapeño provide a bit of heat, and cilantro adds an irresistible herby flavor.
Tips and Tricks for Vietnamese Noodle Bowls with Peanut Chicken
- Make it in advance. The spicy peanut sauce, noodles, and vegetables can all be made in advance.The longer the noodles and vegetables marinate in the Nuoc Cham sauce, the more flavorful they become. To reheat the mixture, warm in the microwave for about a minute until the noodles become slightly soft and chicken is warm, but not hot. I’ve meal prepped this dish as written for lunches for Neal and I and it kept well throughout the week! If you plan to use this for meal prep, I recommend using sturdy veggies like cabbage and carrots as written in the recipe as they will keep better throughout the week and won’t wilt after being gently reheated.
- Use whatever you have in your fridge. One reason why I love this dish so much is because it’s so versatile and you can use whatever you have on hand. You’re kitchen, you’re rules! Some delicious additions/substitutions would be:
- Cucumbers
- Bell peppers
- Snow peas
- Shrimp
- Crispy tofu
- Tempeh
Vietnamese Noodle Bowls with Peanut Chicken
Vietnamese Noodle Bowls with Peanut Chicken combines fresh, spicy, and sweet flavors all in one addicting dish! Thin vermicelli rice noodles are mixed with fresh herbs and vegetables, tossed in a tangy paleo Nuoc Cham sauce, and topped with Spicy Peanut Chicken!
Recipe makes 4 - 6 servings
Ingredients
Nuoc Cham Sauce
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons cilantro finely chopped
- 1/2 jalapeno finely diced and seeds removed
- 2 tablespoons honey
Noodles
- 8 ounces thin rice noodles
- 2 large carrots peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves finely chopped (plus more for serving if desired)
- 1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
- lime wedges optional, for serving
- jalapeno slices optional, for serving
Spicy Peanut Chicken
- 1.5 pounds chicken breasts
- 1 cup peanut sauce store bought or homemade Spicy Peanut Sauce
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil or avocado oil divided
Instructions
Make the Nuoc Cham Sauce
-
In a small sauce pan, combine honey and 2 tbsp water. Warm over medium heat until honey has completely melted into water, roughly 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Add fish sauce, lime juice, and cilantro. Whisk to combine.
Prepare the Noodles and Veggies
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Cook the noodles according to package directions. Once cooked, drain and place noodles in a large bowl. Add the carrots, shredded cabbage, fresh mint, and cilantro. Immediately toss Toss with carrots, shredded cabbage, fresh mint leaves, and cilantro. Immediately toss with Nuoc Cham and set aside.
Make the Peanut Chicken
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Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium high heat in a large skillet. Add chicken, being careful not to overcrowd the skillet and working in multiple batches if necessary. Add chicken to the hot oil, sear the chicken by cooking for two minutes without moving. Flip the chicken, and cook on the other side for 1 -2 minutes until seared. Continue to cook the chicken and flipping every minute or so until it reaches 165 degrees, roughly 8 minutes.
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Once chicken is cooked through, toss with peanut sauce.
Serve!
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Divide the noodles evenly into 4 bowls, top with the peanut chicken and any additional jalapeños or lime slices and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Recipe makes 4 - 6 servings. Nutrition values have been calculated based on 6 servings.
STORE IT IN THE FRIDGE
These noodle bowls will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Gently reheat in the microwave for about 1 minute until noodles are pliable and chicken is warm.
MAKE IT GLUTEN FREE
Recipe is gluten free as written.
DID YOU MAKE THeSE Vietnamese Noodle Bowls with Peanut Chicken
If you’ve tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, please rate this recipe and let me know how you liked it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also like me on facebook and follow me on Instagram and Pinterest to see more delicious meals I’m cooking! You can also mention @indiafromindianaor tag #indiafromindiana on Instagram so I can see what you’re making in the kitchen
HELPFUL RECIPE INFORMATION
All recipes are tested and developed in my home kitchen. Unless otherwise stated, I always use extra virgin olive oil and this Himalayan pink salt in my recipes.
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