Chicken Soba Noodle Salad with Creamy Peanut Dressing
A fresh and colourful poached chicken soba noodle salad tossed with crunchy coleslaw, edamame, herbs and a creamy peanut dressing. Quick to make, healthy, and perfect for meal prep or easy dinners.
Ingredients
salad
- 2 large chicken breast fillets
- 270g packet soba noodles
- 200g packet classic shredded coleslaw (dry mix)
- 1 Lebanese cucumber, sliced
- 1 cup shelled frozen edamame, thawed
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 long red chilli, finely sliced
- ¾ cup coriander leaves
- ½ cup mint leaves, roughly chopped (optional)
- ⅓ cup peanuts, roughly chopped + extra for garnish (optional)
creamy peanut dressing
- ⅓ cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1-2 tablespoons warm water
Instructions
poach the chicken
- Place chicken breasts in a saucepan and cover with water. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer (not a rolling boil) and cook for 12–15 minutes until just cooked through. Remove from water, rest for 5 minutes, then slice or shred. TIP: Gentle poaching keeps the chicken juicy and tender.
cook the soba noodles
- Cook soba noodles according to packet directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and remove excess starch. This prevents sticky noodles.
Make the peanut dressing
- Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, honey, sesame oil, garlic and ginger together. Add warm water gradually until the dressing is creamy and pourable. Taste and adjust: more lime for brightness, more honey for sweetness and/or more soy for savoury depth.
assemble the salad
- In a large bowl combine the soba noodles, coleslaw mix, cucumber, edamame, spring onions, chilli, herbs, peanuts and chicken. Pour over dressing and toss until well coated. Divide amongst bowls and serve garnished with extra herb sprigs and chopped peanuts if desired.TIP: keep salad and dressing separate if not serving straight away.
Notes
Cook’s Notes
- Oven temperatures listed are for a conventional oven. If you’re using a fan-forced (convection) oven, reduce the temperature by 20°C.
- Measurements follow Australian standards where 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml and 1 cup = 250 ml.
- Herbs are fresh unless otherwise specified and cups are lightly packed.
- Vegetables are medium-sized and peeled unless stated.
- Eggs are extra-large, around 55–60 g each, unless noted otherwise.
- The dry coleslaw mix is available from Woolies or Coles in the fresh food section.
- Rinse soba noodles well after cooking to prevent them sticking together.
- I use my Thermomix to shred the chicken - (5-7 secs, Reverse, Speed 3). You can easily shred by hand though or in a food processor.
- The dressing will thicken in the fridge - loosen with a splash of water if required.
- Rotisserie shredded chicken can be used instead of poaching for a faster option.
- Adjust chilli to suit your heat preference.
- Best eaten within 24 - 48 hours for maximum freshness and crunch.