Chicken and Mango Soba Salad With Peanut Dressing
Japanese buckwheat noodles are usually served cold or in a hot soup, but here, they’re given a bright jolt of color and texture. Delightfully chewy soba noodles are combined with chicken, mango, snap peas, cucumber and a spicy peanut dressing for a great warm-weather lunch that’s also picnic-friendly. Serve it alongside any grilled meat or fish, or leave the chicken out to make it vegetarian. To make this ahead, prepare all the salad components in advance, but wait until serving time to combine to keep flavors and textures vibrant.
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- ½cup smooth peanut butter, natural or regular
- ¼cup hot water
- 3tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1tablespoon sesame oil
- 1tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
- 1tablespoon lime juice (from 1 lime)
- ½teaspoon Sriracha or other hot sauce
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- ½teaspoon granulated sugar (optional)
- 10ounces sugar snap peas (about 2 cups)
- 8ounces soba noodles
- 2cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1small or 1/2 large mango, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2mini cucumbers, thinly sliced (or 1/2 English cucumber)
- 1cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
- 2Fresno chiles, thinly sliced
Instructions
Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. In a medium bowl, whisk peanut butter, hot water, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, lime juice and Sriracha until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Add sugar, if using, and stir. Set aside.Step 2
Drop the snap peas into the boiling water and cook until they just turn bright green, about 30 seconds. Using a mesh strainer or a spider (leave the water in the pot), transfer to a colander and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain and slice each pea lengthwise into 2 or 3 pieces. Set aside.Step 3
Return water to a boil and cook soba noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool (if noodles get sticky, rinse again with cool water).Step 4
In a large serving bowl, toss noodles with the chicken, mango and peanut dressing. Add two-thirds of the snap peas, cucumbers, cilantro and chiles, reserving the rest for garnish. Season to taste with salt and pepper.Step 5
When ready to serve, top with remaining snap peas, cucumbers, cilantro and chiles and serve immediately.