Description
These garlic butter chicken noodles are quick, flavorful, and better than takeout. Tender chicken, glossy noodles, and a garlicky butter sauce come together in under 30 minutes for a cozy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
8 oz wide rice noodles (or lo mein/linguine)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced
2 tbsp cornstarch (or flour)
3 tbsp butter, divided
4–5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 medium shallot (or red onion), thinly sliced
1–2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
¼ cup soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
3 tbsp sweet Thai chili sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp pickled sushi-style ginger, chopped (optional)
½–1 tsp red pepper flakes (to taste)
3 scallions, sliced
½ cup fresh Thai basil (or regular basil), roughly torn
1 tbsp sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
Cook the rice noodles according to package directions until just tender. Drain, rinse, and toss with a little oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
Pat chicken dry, then toss with cornstarch, salt, and pepper.
In a large skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and cook until golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, add remaining butter. Sauté garlic, shallot, and bell peppers until softened and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes, and 2 tbsp water. Pour into skillet and let simmer 1–2 minutes.
Add chicken back to the skillet along with noodles. Toss well until coated and glossy.
Stir in scallions and Thai basil. Garnish with sesame seeds before serving.
Notes
Protein swap: Shrimp, beef, or tofu all work beautifully.
Make ahead: Prep veggies and sauce earlier in the day for faster cooking.
Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat with a splash of water.
Spice level: Adjust red pepper flakes to taste; add sriracha for extra heat.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stir-Fry
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: ~420
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: garlic butter chicken noodles, weeknight dinner, better than takeout