Slightly adapted from www.angiespangies.com
Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cooked and diced
12 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
1 cucumber, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and cut like matchsticks
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup reduced fat creamy peanut butter
3 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp red-pepper flakes (can use less or more, according to preference)
Directions:
Chop the veggies. Use thin even slices to help them cook evenly. Since you are only boiling them for a few minutes, you want to make sure they are sliced thin.
Cook pasta in salted water for 7 minutes (or three minutes less than directions specify).
Add vegetables. Continue cooking the pasta and veggies for 3 minutes. Scoop 1/2 cup of water out of the pot and set aside.
Drain pasta and veggies after three minutes.
There are three ingredients that make this dish work, in my opinion. Peanut butter and sesame oil are key players here. The other is the crushed red pepper. I know that you might not like spicy food so you’ll be tempted to leave this out. But it’s a lot like salt – a flavor enhancer. If you like it spicy add a full teaspoon (and more), if you don’t, stick with 1/2 a teaspoon. It really makes a difference in taste.
Mix peanut butter, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, oil, garlic, and red-pepper flakes in a large bowl.
Add pasta, cooked chicken, veggies and toss. Add reserved water if necessary, to thin sauce.
Can serve hot or cold, I like mine HOT!
Servings: 6 Points: 5 points without chicken or 7 points with chicken per serving
