Next Post
Skillet Strawberry Bourbon Cobbler with Layered Cream Cheese Biscuits.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
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.
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.
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.
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…
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!
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?
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
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.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons corn starch or flour
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1-2 teaspoons black pepper, using more or less to your taste
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 8 ounces rice noodles
- 2 medium shallots, sliced or chopped
- 2 small heads broccoli, chopped
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 cup fresh basil or cilantro, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 3-4 cloves garlic finely chopped or grated
- 1/3 cup canned coconut milk
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!
This post was originally published on April 20, 2020
Made this with a few substitutions because of pandemic creative cooking. This was fabulous and restaurant quality according to my husband. I marinated the chicken in the dry rub for a couple of hours, then, cooked the chicken. We ended up not having the rest of the meal until the next day. I used cut up chicken thighs as that is what I had, and I had cauliflower and fennel, so those were my veggies. I also left out the coconut milk…because I didn’t want to open the can for 1/3 cup…I know, lame! Still, the dish totally was awesome with layers of deliciousness and flavor. This is now in my make again file. Thank you again for a wonderful, flavorful, chicken dish!
Thank you so much Karen! I am glad this recipe turned out well for you! Also, love that you could use what you had on hand! xTieghan
This. Is. So. Good. A flavor explosion with every bite. I will say, my husband and I almost finished off what says serves four but we didn’t have any other sides to fill us up! So be aware if cooking for a group. Stop searching and make this immediately.
Haha thank you so much Colleen! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made this dish for dinner last night and it was absolutely delicious! I’m planning on making it again, again and again. Your recipes and ideas are such an inspiration! The inspiration I really needed ?
Aw I am so happy to hear that Sheena! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
You came up with some funky fusion with this dish, and we loved it! That chicken alone was amazing—I’m envisioning it in all kinds of other meals. And we loved the garlicy coconutty noodles! Really impressed by your creativity here!
Thank you so much Kelly! I am glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I just made this tonight for my parents and boyfriend. It was really amazing! I ended up only having a pad thai style rice noodle so I think it could have maybe used extra sauce for the noodles. And I added red curry paste to the butter and garlic before adding the coconut milk for some extra head and flavour. But otherwise made it as Is. It was a hit with everyone
Hi Julie! I am really glad this recipe ended up turning out so well for you! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
SO GOOD! I thank you for a great recipe that I will definitely make again! I forgot to add the Milk but it still turned out great.
I am glad this still turned out so well for you, Ally! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
I’m a new fan but a big one! This recipe was amazing. The only comment I’ll make is that it took way longer than 25 minutes. Well worth it though – thanks!
Thank you Tina! xTieghan
I just made this tonight for my parents and boyfriend. It was really amazing! I ended up only having a pad thai style rice noodle so I think it could have maybe used extra sauce for the noodles. And I added red curry paste to the butter and garlic before adding the coconut milk for some extra head and flavour. But otherwise made it as Is. It was a hit with everyone!
That is so great! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you Julie! xTieghan
Do you think I could sub maple syrup for the honey? Just realized I’m almost out of honey and wanted to make for tonight’s dinner. Thanks!
Hi Sara,
Yes that is totally fine! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
The recipe was incredible!!! Definitely not a 25 min recipe, prep-time was about 30 minutes. I will be making this one again.
I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Poppy! Thank you! xTieghan
Once again, Tieghan knocks it out of the park. Family loved it.
Thank you so much Mandi! xTieghan
I made this for dinner tonight and despite getting a little crazy on my part by using too much red pepper flakes. It was incredible.
I am so glad you enjoyed this one, Haidenne! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
I made this for my family last night. It was pretty simple although the 25 mins may be deceiving if you’re a bit slower with chopping and everything like me. But it was still an easy and pretty straightforward recipe. And soo good!! It was so flavorful and something about it just kept me going back for more. Some notes: I used whole wheat ramen noodles as that’s what I had and they worked out just fine. Also used cilantro in a tube for one of the final steps of fresh cilantro or basil as well as frozen broccoli, and those were also fine swaps. I am adding this to my weekly lineup!!
Thank you so much Karb! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you and your family! I hope you continue to enjoy my recipes! xTieghan
i can’t wait to make this tomorrow!!!!! loooks soooooo yummy and i’ve been looking for something to use up the noodles i have. thank you!!
I hope you love this Casey! Thank you! xTieghan
My whole family loved this! The addition of the lime juice and zest at the end gave it a nice citrus punch. The noodles were especially yummy, and will be a great alternative to rice going forward. Thank you for sharing so many wonderful recipes!
Thank you for trying them Connie! I am glad this one turned out so well for you and your family! xTieghan