Sesame Noodles with Chicken

Use leftover rotisserie chicken and these slightly spicy Sesame Noodles With Chicken can be ready in minutes. This is such a tasty dish to make with whole wheat spaghetti; just use lots more chicken and fewer noodles if you want a lower-carb version.

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Recently my brother Mark and his wife Lisa showed up at my house with a rotisserie chicken for dinner. Rotisserie chicken usually means leftover chicken, and I was very happy I had leftovers to inspire me to try this recipe, because I loved these slightly-spicy Sesame Noodles with Chicken. It’s the savory and spicy combination of rice vinegar, soy sauce, fresh ginger, Thai chili garlic paste, and sesame oil in the dressing that made these sesame noodles with chicken so good, and I added some green onions and cilantro for even more flavor.

The first time I made this I followed the recipe and used a whole pound of spaghetti, which made an enormous pot of noodles. My friend Margarethe and her daughter Martina stopped by and I shared the leftovers with them, but the next day when I ate my own share of noodle leftovers I decided most of the flavor was absorbed by the noodles, and it wasn’t nearly as good leftover as it was freshly made.

The next time I made it, I cut the original recipe in half, and that’s the one I’m sharing here. This recipe has just a little grating of ginger root, mixing the dressing, and some chopping to do while the noodles are cooking. It’s easy enough to cook in about 20 minutes, and once you taste it, you’ll want to make this whenever you have leftover chicken!

What ingredients do you need?

• whole wheat spaghetti
• salt for pasta water
• diced cooked chicken
• green onions
• chopped cilantro (optional)
• unseasoned rice vinegar (see notes)
• soy sauce or Gluten-Free Soy Sauce (affiliate link)
• Peanut Oil (affiliate link)
• Chili Garlic Sauce (affiliate link)
• Minced Ginger (affiliate link) or grated fresh ginger root
• Asian sesame oil (affiliate link)

What gives the noodles a sesame flavor in this recipe?

It’s the use of Asian sesame oil that makes these sesame noodles, and that’a a fairly strong flavor. You can start with a smaller amount in the sauce and taste it before adding the full amount if you’re not sure.

What if you’re not a cilantro fan?

Just use a bit more sliced green onion if you’re not someone who enjoys the flavor of cilantro.

How spicy are these Sesame Noodles with Chicken?

The sauce uses a tablespoon of Chili Garlic Sauce, which is a spicy Asian ingredient. If you’re not sure you want that much heat, start out with a teaspoon and taste, adding more until it seems spicy enough for you.

Want a vegetarian version of noodles with spicy Asian sauce?

If you’d like a similar recipe that’s vegetarian, check out my recipe for Noodles with Peanut Sauce.

How to make Sesame Noodles with Chicken:

1. I used whole wheat spaghetti, and I love this Garofalo Whole Wheat Spaghetti, but lately I’m having a hard time finding it. 
2. I don’t like long noodles in a dish like this, so I broke the noodles in half before I put them into the boiling water. 
3. Grated fresh ginger root in the sauce for the noodles is one thing that creates a lot of flavor here, although you could probably get by with ginger puree from a jar. (Don’t even think about using dried ginger though.)
4. While the whole wheat spaghetti is cooking, chop the chicken in small pieces (oops, no photo of that) then chop one cup of sliced green onion and 1/2 cup chopped cilantro. (Just use a bit more green onion if you don’t want cilantro.)
5. Mix together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, Peanut Oil, grated ginger or minced ginger from a jar, Chile Garlic Sauce or Sriracha Sauce (affiliate link), and sesame oil to make the flavorful dressing.
6. When the noodles are done (exactly 9 minutes for the brand of whole wheat spaghetti I use), drain them in a colander placed in the sink, then put the noodles back into the pan you cooked the pasta in and add the chicken.
7. Pour in the sauce mixture and toss well enough that noodles and chicken are well-coated with sauce.
8. Then add the sliced green onions and chopped cilantro (if using) and toss just enough to combine.
9. Serve immediately and wait for compliments.

More Tasty Ideas for Whole Wheat Spaghetti:

Spaghetti with Sausage and Arugula

Spaghetti with Garlic, Chard, and Pecorino-Romano Cheese

Spaghetti Pasta Salad

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Yield: 4 servings

Sesame Noodles with Chicken

Prep Time 25 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

When you use leftover rotisserie chicken these slightly-spicy and oh-so-tasty Sesame Noodles With Chicken can be ready in minutes!

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 8 oz. whole wheat spaghetti
• salt for pasta water, about 2 tsp.
• 1 cup diced cooked chicken
• 1 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (optional)

Sauce Ingredients

• 3 T rice vinegar (see notes)
• 2 1/2 T soy sauce (see notes)
• 2 T peanut oil (see notes)
• 1 T Chili Garlic Paste (use more or less to taste, see notes)
• 1 T grated fresh ginger root (could also use ground ginger from a jar, but freshly grated ginger would be more flavorful)
• 1 T Asian sesame oil

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, then break spaghetti noodles in half and add to the boiling water.
2. Stir, let it come to a boil again, then cook until noodles are tender but still have a little bite, about 8-9 minutes.
3. While pasta water is coming to a boil, grate enough fresh ginger to make 1 T, then combine with rice vinegar, soy sauce, vegetable oil, Chili Garlic Paste or Sriracha sauce, and sesame oil to make the flavorful chicken.
4. While the noodles are cooking, chop the chicken into same-size pieces about 1/2 inch square, and slice green onions.
5. Wash cilantro, spin dry or dry with paper towels, and chop enough to make 1/2 cup. (Just omit if you're not a cilantro fan.)
6. When noodles are cooked but still al dente, drain them into a colander placed in the sink.
7. Put noodles back into pan you cooked them in and add the diced chicken.
8. Pour sauce mixture over chicken and noodles, then toss well enough that noodles and chicken are well-coated with the sauce mixture.
9. Add chopped green onions and chopped cilantro and toss just enough to combine.
10. Serve immediately.

Notes

If you're watching carbs at all, don’t use seasoned rice vinegar which contains sugar.

Be sure to use gluten-free soy sauce if needed.

Peanut Oil (affiliate link) is perfect for this dressing, but any neutral-flavored oil will work.

Either Chile Garlic Sauce (affiliate link) or Sriracha Sauce (affiliate link) will work for this recipe. Start with a smaller amount and taste until it's spicy enough for you.

This recipe can easily be doubled, but it doesn’t taste nearly as good after it’s been in the refrigerator overnight, so I’d only make as much as you can eat at one time.

Recipe adapted slightly from Sesame Chicken Noodle Salad recipe in Bon Appetit March 2003.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 326Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 787mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 4gSugar: 1gProtein: 15g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

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Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycmic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Made with whole wheat spaghetti, this would be a perfect dish for phase 2 or 3 of the original South Beach Diet, although you need to use portion control if you’re eating this for phase two. It would be too high in carbs for a low-carb diet plan, but you could use lots more chicken and less noodles if you want a lower-carb version.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Pasta Recipes to find more like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest or on Facebook to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

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