Perfect Peanut Whole-Wheat Pasta With Chicken And Vegetables

Name: Perfect Peanut Whole-Wheat Pasta With Chicken And Vegetables
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon kosher salt (optional); 1/2 pound whole-wheat pasta or spaghetti; 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter; 1 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar; 2 tablespoon honey; 2 1/2 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce; 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil; 1 teaspoon finely minced ginger; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 3/4 teaspoon red chile pepper flakes; 12 ounce cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin 1/2-inch-thick strips; 1 medium-sized cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned; 1 red bell pepper, halved and julienned; 1 medium-sized carrot, peeled and julienned; 2 scallions, chopped (optional); 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chopped peanuts, unsalted (optional)

Pasta Fits|July 30, 2013 4:40 pm EST

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Looking for an easy, balanced meal that's easy on the budget? Try this pasta recipe that's a complete meal in a bowl, with whole-grain carbohydrates from the pasta, protein from lean chicken breast, and plenty of fiber, vitamins, and minerals from the vegetables.Click here to see 15 Easy 15-Minute Pasta Recipes.

Servings

4

Ingredients

1 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)
1/2 pound whole-wheat pasta or spaghetti
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar
2 tablespoon honey
2 1/2 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon red chile pepper flakes
12 ounce cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin 1/2-inch-thick strips
1 medium-sized cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned
1 red bell pepper, halved and julienned
1 medium-sized carrot, peeled and julienned
2 scallions, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chopped peanuts, unsalted (optional)

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the salt, if using. Add the whole-wheat pasta and cook until al dente, 8-10 minutes. Drain the pasta and reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, reserved pasta cooking water, vinegar, honey, soy sauce, sesame seed oil, ginger, garlic, and red chile pepper flakes until smooth and creamy. Pour over the pasta. Toss the pasta with the chicken, cucumber, red bell pepper, and carrot. Top each serving with scallions and 1 teaspoon of the chopped peanuts. Serve warm or cold.