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Weeknight style Thai Black Pepper Chicken and Garlic Noodles. The super fast Thai chicken noodle bowl that looks like takeout, but tastes so much better…and it’s healthier too! Quick-cooking chicken tossed in a sweet, tangy, and spicy Thai style black pepper sauce with plenty of broccoli, cashews, and basil. Serve this chicken over saucy garlic butter rice noodles and top with extra lime juice. Every bite is saucy, sweet, spicy, and hinted with basil. It’s delicious and healthy. Major bonus?  This comes together in no time at all (under 30 minutes). Perfect for busy weeknights when you’re looking for something a little more special, but still quick, healthy-ish, and DELICIOUS.

overhead photo of 25 Minute Thai Black Pepper Chicken and Garlic Noodles with chopsticks in noodles

Making Monday night Thai inspired food a thing and so happy about it. I’ve been saying this for weeks, but all I’m craving right now is colorful food, anything fun, and anything different. Any kind of recipe that I haven’t made before. With life in quarantine being much the same every day, I’m thankful to have food as an outlet for spontaneity. Just something different to break up the days, you know?

So yeah, long story short, I’m switching up recipes these days. I’ve made things like a whipped coffee white Russian, Mexican taquitos, and Italian style ravioli. I even ventured towards Cuban with my skillet cheesy Cuban chicken and rice bake and creamy coconut lime mojitos.

Cooking has been the only thing keeping me sane. What’s helping you guys?

Anyway, today we’re stepping into some quick-cooking Thai cuisine, and it’s truly my favorite kind of food.

overhead photo of 25 Minute Thai Black Pepper Chicken in skillet

The inspiration.

I’ve had this dish in mind for a while now. My oldest brother Creighton is here and this week he pushed me to finally create the recipe. He’s been asking for some new quick-cooking Thai inspired chicken dishes, so I obviously had to deliver up something good.

Enter this under 30-minute Thai black pepper chicken. It’s not super traditional, but it was inspired by black pepper chicken. Which customarily, is a mix of chili peppers, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and plenty of black pepper. My take has all these flavors too…but also some additional ones as well.

It’s saucy, spicy, sweet, a touch salty, and just about as delicious as a quick-cooking Thai chicken dinner can get. I really can’t say enough good things about this recipe. It’s one of those dishes that will become a monthly staple.

Why? Well, it’s simple, it’s quick, it’s pretty healthy, and it’s a dinner that most everyone can really enjoy.

overhead photo of Garlic Noodles in skillet

The process.

First up, toss the chicken with a little cornstarch, turmeric, and ginger. Tossing the chicken with cornstarch allows it to get extra crispy and caramelize while cooking.

Now make the sauce. It’s simply, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and plenty of chili flakes, plus black pepper.

Pan-fry the chicken in a little oil until it is crisp. Add plenty of broccoli, a handful of cashews. Then pour over the sauce and let it simmer down and thicken over the chicken and broccoli.

As the chicken is cooking, boil some rice noodles and toss them in a hot pan full of butter and garlic. Yes, noodles, butter, and garlic…but then add a touch of coconut milk for a little more sauce and additional creaminess. SO GOOD.

By the time the noodles have cooked, the chicken should be done as well. Now, put it all together…

overhead close up photo of 25 Minute Thai Black Pepper Chicken and Garlic Noodles

Spoon the noodles plus the sauce into bowls, then add the chicken and broccoli. Finish each bowl off with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and fresh basil or cilantro.

Enjoy. Immediately.

Yes, this is that simple and that quick-cooking. Honestly, this will take you no more than thirty minutes to make and uses a good amount of pantry staples too!

overhead photo of 25 Minute Thai Black Pepper Chicken and Garlic Noodles with chopsticks

Notes and substitutions…

For the broccoli, while I love it with this dish, you can really use whatever vegetable you have on hand. Bell peppers would be my top pick, then asparagus, but you could also use mushrooms, bok choy, carrots. Really, use whatever you’ve got.

Now, let’s talk about the noodles. I like to use vermicelli rice noodles, but you could use any variety of rice noodles or even angel hair pasta. The noodles are meant to be saucy, so once you toss them with the garlic butter sauce, make sure to serve right away.

And you guys…that’s it. Takes less than 30 minutes to make and it’s not only delicious but fun too. We might not be able to travel around the world right now, but at least we can create fun ethnic-inspired recipes at home any night of the week.

I’m all about that. So, Monday night Thai food?

overhead photo of 25 Minute Thai Black Pepper Chicken and Garlic Noodles

Watch the How To Video:

Lastly, if you make this Thai black pepper chicken and garlic noodles, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Thai Black Pepper Chicken and Garlic Noodles

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 823 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Watch the How-To Reel

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • 1. In a medium bowl, toss together the chicken, cornstarch, turmeric, ginger, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon oil.
    2. In a glass jar, combine the honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup water.
    3. Cook rice noodles according to packaged directions.
    4. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken and brown all over, until it becomes crispy, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots, broccoli, and cashews, cook another 2-3 minutes, until the broccoli is charring. Pour in the honey/soy sauce mix. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the sauce coats the chicken, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime zest, lime juice, and the basil.
    5. Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the butter, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes, if desired. Cook until the garlic begins to caramelize and turn light golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, cooking 3-5 minutes, until warmed through. Remove from the heat and toss the noodles with the sauce.
    6. To serve, divide the noodles among bowls and top with chicken. Serve with additional basil and limes. Enjoy!
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This post was originally published on April 20, 2020
4.31 from 1246 votes (949 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Hi! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes! Our family especially loves your chicken ramen soup. In your Thai black pepper chicken recipe, If you don’t have cashews could you use another nut or would you just omit it?
    Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Hi Ashlee,
      You could either leave the cashews out or use another nut, walnuts or pecans would be great. I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      Reply

  2. 5 stars
    Made this last night and it was absolutely delicious!! Thank you for putting together so many great pantry-staple recipes – I come to your site almost daily to get ideas. 🙂

    Reply

  3. 5 stars
    Yumm yumm yumm. Sooo delicious and scrumptious!!

    Currently browsing through your website for my next meal ? thank you!!

    Reply

    1. Hi Caroline! Yes you can use zucchini noodles in this. I would recommend blanching them and adding when you normally add the noodles. I hope you love this recipe! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      PS: Here is a good article in case you need help cooking them!
      https://www.brit.co/how-to-cook-zoodles/

      Reply

  7. 5 stars
    I didn’t have any fresh herbs, and this was STILL a five star recipe! Excited to try it again when the fridge is fully stocked.

    Reply

  8. This was so yummy. I had to leave out the turmeric and lime. But flavor will still great and everyone really enjoyed it!!

    Reply

  9. 3 stars
    Made this last night.
    Came together quickly and was easy to follow.
    We just expected more black pepper in the recipe given it’s called Thai black pepper chicken. Not sure if we missed something. Ended up adding extra black pepper, a little sriracha and some salt. I would make it again.

    Reply

    1. Hi Iris! Yes that should work fine! I would recommend the tofu is pressed so it can absorb the flavor! I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan

      Reply

  12. 5 stars
    Love following along with your recipes! You are doing an amazing job! I am going to try this tomorrow! 🙂

    Reply

  13. 5 stars
    This was delicious (like the other 100 meals I have cooked in the last 2 months)! I substituted the chicken with tofu and used mushrooms instead of broccoli, because that was all I had in my fridge. It was perfect! I am sure it tastes great with chicken, too 🙂
    Thanks for your recipes. I have cooked my way through both of your books. I love to have my go-to recipes on hand, but especially during quarantine I love to try something new everyday. So, big thank you for sharing so many great recipes on a daily basis. I am sure it is very hard work, so you should know it is greatly appreciated and one of the fun parts of these days!!

    Reply

    1. Ok WOW!! This was so amazing to read! I am really glad you have been loving my recipes and I hope you continue to! Thank you so much Fenja!! xTieghan

      Reply

  15. 5 stars
    Tieghan,
    I made this tonight and it was sooooo good! The fam was happy. The lime at the end made it light and fresh. The rice noodles in the garlic, butter, coconut sauce were so tasty though mine weren’t very saucy. I used an 8 oz. package and it soaked up all the sauce. Will definitely make this again. Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Amazing! I am happy this recipe turned out so well for all of you! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan

      Reply