This dish is simple to prepare but the flavors are so complex. There are a lot of ingredients in the sauce but each one really adds to the depth of flavor in the dish. The garnishes are very important to so don't skip those! Feel free to add vegetables to this dish to make it a full meal some great options are peppers, julienned carrots, broccoli, or snow peas.
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 small onion thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp sesame oil
3 chicken breast or thighs cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 lb. spaghetti or linguini
Sauce:
1 clove garlic
1 inch fresh ginger
1 tsp sriracha - more or less depending on how hot you like it
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1Tbs silan (you can use regular honey, I like the deeper sweetness of the silan)
3 heaping Tbs peanut butter
Garnish
2 scallions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup crushed roasted peanuts
Zest and juice of one lime
To make the sauce
Grate the garlic and ginger using a microplane. Mix together all the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
To make the pasta and chicken
Heat the vegetable oil in a very large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the onion a pinch of salt and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic cook for 1 minute then add the chicken and sesame oil, cook for about 6 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Bring a large pot of water up to boil, add salt and pasta, cook 2 minutes shorter than the package directions. Save 1 cup of the pasta cooking water this is what thickens the sauce.
When the pasta is cooked add it straight into the pan with the chicken lower the heat and add the sauce. Toss to coat and add about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water, keep tossing until everything is well coated with the sauce.
Remove from the heat and add all of the garnishes. This dish is delicious both hot and cold.
