Peanut Thai Chicken Fettuccine

I’ve always loved Thai food, but let’s be honest—ordering takeout multiple times a week gets expensive fast. That’s how I ended up creating this Thai Chicken Fettuccine. It gives me those peanut sauce cravings I’m always chasing, but I can make it on a Tuesday night without breaking the bank or waiting for delivery.

The best part? You probably have most of these ingredients already. A jar of salsa, some peanut butter, and a few basic pantry staples come together to make a sauce that tastes like you spent hours on it. I like to prep the chicken and veggies while my pasta water is heating up. Everything cooks quickly, so you’re looking at about 30 minutes from start to finish.

Want it spicier? Add more salsa. Not a cilantro person? Leave it out. This recipe is really forgiving, which is exactly what I need on busy weeknights.

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What Kind of Peanut Butter Should I Use?

For this Thai-inspired dish, you’ll want to stick with creamy peanut butter rather than chunky since it needs to blend smoothly into the sauce. Regular commercial peanut butter like Jif or Skippy works great here, but if you prefer natural peanut butter, that’s fine too – just give it a good stir first since the oils tend to separate. Keep in mind that natural peanut butter can be a bit thinner and less sweet than conventional brands, so your sauce might have a slightly different consistency and you may want to add a touch more honey to balance the flavors. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s at room temperature so it mixes easily with the salsa and other sauce ingredients.

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Options for Substitutions

This fusion dish is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Fettuccine noodles: You can use linguine, spaghetti, or even rice noodles if you want to lean more into the Thai vibe. Cook according to package directions since timing may vary.
• Chicken breasts: Chicken thighs work great here and stay more tender. You could also use shrimp or tofu – just adjust cooking time accordingly (shrimp cooks in 3-4 minutes, firm tofu needs about 5-6 minutes to get crispy).
• Creamy peanut butter: Almond butter or cashew butter make good alternatives if you have a peanut allergy. The flavor will be slightly different but still tasty.
• Salsa: Any salsa works – mild, medium, or hot depending on your preference. You could even use diced tomatoes with a pinch of cumin if that’s what you have.
• Sweet red pepper: Bell peppers of any color work fine. You could also throw in snap peas or broccoli florets for extra veggies.
• Fresh cilantro: If you’re one of those people who thinks cilantro tastes like soap, use fresh basil or mint instead for that herby freshness.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with this dish is overcooking the chicken, which turns it dry and chewy – cut your chicken strips into even pieces about 1/2-inch thick and cook them just until they’re no longer pink in the center, around 5-6 minutes total.

Another common error is adding the vegetables at the wrong time, so make sure to remove the chicken from the pan first, then cook the peppers and carrots for just 2-3 minutes until they’re tender-crisp, not mushy.

The peanut butter sauce can be tricky to mix smoothly, so whisk it together in a bowl before adding it to the pan, and if it seems too thick, add a tablespoon of warm water to help it coat the pasta evenly.

Finally, don’t toss the pasta with the sauce while it’s still on high heat, as this can cause the peanut butter to separate and become oily – turn the heat to low before combining everything together.

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What to Serve With Thai Chicken Fettuccine?

This dish has so much going on with the peanut sauce and veggies that you really just need something simple on the side. A crisp cucumber salad with rice vinegar and a touch of sesame oil is perfect for cutting through the richness of the peanut butter sauce. If you want something warm, some quick sautéed bok choy or snap peas with garlic would be great, or you could even do some steamed edamame sprinkled with sea salt. For extra crunch, I sometimes serve it with a handful of those crispy wonton strips on top or alongside some prawn crackers for scooping.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your leftover Thai chicken fettuccine in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The noodles might soak up some of the sauce as it sits, so you can add a splash of water or a bit more peanut butter mixed with lime juice when reheating to loosen it back up.

Freeze: This dish freezes pretty well for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. Just know that the veggies might be a bit softer after thawing, but the flavors will still be there. I like to slightly undercook the noodles if I know I’m going to freeze it.

Reheat: Warm it up in the microwave with a damp paper towel over the top to keep it from drying out, or toss it in a skillet over medium heat with a little water or chicken broth. Give it a good stir and add the peanuts fresh right before serving so they stay crunchy.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1450-1620
• Protein: 70-80 g
• Fat: 48-58 g
• Carbohydrates: 180-200 g

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• 1 cup salsa (Pace Chunky Salsa recommended)
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger

For the chicken and vegetables:

• 1 lb chicken breast (cut into 1-inch bite-sized pieces)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red pepper (sliced into 1/4-inch thin strips)
• 3/4 cup shredded carrots
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

For the pasta and garnish:

• 8 oz fettuccine pasta
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup crushed peanuts

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Start Pasta Water

• 1 lb chicken breast
• 1 red pepper
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3/4 cup shredded carrots
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro
• Salt for pasta water

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta—this takes time, so start it first.

While waiting, prepare all your ingredients: cut the chicken into 1-inch bite-sized pieces, slice the red pepper into 1/4-inch strips, mince the garlic, measure out the carrots, and chop the cilantro.

Having everything prepped and ready will make the cooking process smooth and prevent any rushed moments.

Step 2: Build the Thai Peanut Sauce

• 1 cup salsa
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger

In a medium bowl, whisk together the salsa, creamy peanut butter, lime juice, honey, soy sauce, and freshly grated ginger until smooth and well combined.

The sauce should have a rich, slightly thick consistency with no lumps of peanut butter.

Set aside—this sauce is the flavor foundation of the entire dish.

Step 3: Cook Pasta and Begin Protein

• 8 oz fettuccine pasta
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces

Once the salted water is at a rolling boil, add the fettuccine and cook according to package directions until al dente (usually 8-10 minutes).

While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the prepared chicken pieces in a single layer and cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.

Step 4: Add Vegetables and Aromatics

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 3/4 cup shredded carrots
• cooked chicken from Step 3

To the skillet with the cooked chicken, add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

Then add the sliced red pepper and shredded carrots, stirring frequently.

Cook for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still have a slight bite—I prefer not to overcook them so they maintain their bright color and texture contrast with the sauce.

Step 5: Combine Sauce with Chicken and Vegetables

• Thai peanut sauce from Step 2
• chicken and vegetable mixture from Step 4

Pour the Thai peanut sauce from Step 2 over the cooked chicken and vegetables in the skillet.

Stir well to coat everything evenly, and heat through over medium heat for about 1-2 minutes.

The sauce will coat all the ingredients beautifully and create a cohesive, flavorful mixture.

Step 6: Toss Pasta and Plate

• cooked fettuccine from Step 3
• chicken and sauce mixture from Step 5

Drain the cooked fettuccine from Step 3, reserving about 1/4 cup of pasta water.

Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the chicken-sauce mixture and toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated.

If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen it slightly and create a silky consistency.

Step 7: Finish and Serve

• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup crushed peanuts

Divide the Thai chicken fettuccine among serving bowls or plates.

Top each portion generously with the fresh chopped cilantro and crushed peanuts—I always add the peanuts right before serving so they stay crunchy rather than getting soggy from the sauce.

Serve immediately while everything is hot and the flavors are bright.

Peanut Thai Chicken Fettuccine

Delicious Peanut Thai Chicken Fettuccine recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 1535 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the sauce

• 1 cup salsa (Pace Chunky Salsa recommended)
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger

For the chicken and vegetables

• 1 lb chicken breast (cut into 1-inch bite-sized pieces)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red pepper (sliced into 1/4-inch thin strips)
• 3/4 cup shredded carrots
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

For the pasta and garnish

• 8 oz fettuccine pasta
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup crushed peanuts

Instructions

 

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta—this takes time, so start it first. While waiting, prepare all your ingredients: cut the chicken into 1-inch bite-sized pieces, slice the red pepper into 1/4-inch strips, mince the garlic, measure out the carrots, and chop the cilantro. Having everything prepped and ready will make the cooking process smooth and prevent any rushed moments.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the salsa, creamy peanut butter, lime juice, honey, soy sauce, and freshly grated ginger until smooth and well combined. The sauce should have a rich, slightly thick consistency with no lumps of peanut butter. Set aside—this sauce is the flavor foundation of the entire dish.
• Once the salted water is at a rolling boil, add the fettuccine and cook according to package directions until al dente (usually 8-10 minutes). While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the prepared chicken pieces in a single layer and cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
• To the skillet with the cooked chicken, add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Then add the sliced red pepper and shredded carrots, stirring frequently. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still have a slight bite—I prefer not to overcook them so they maintain their bright color and texture contrast with the sauce.
• Pour the Thai peanut sauce from Step 2 over the cooked chicken and vegetables in the skillet. Stir well to coat everything evenly, and heat through over medium heat for about 1-2 minutes. The sauce will coat all the ingredients beautifully and create a cohesive, flavorful mixture.
• Drain the cooked fettuccine from Step 3, reserving about 1/4 cup of pasta water. Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the chicken-sauce mixture and toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen it slightly and create a silky consistency.
• Divide the Thai chicken fettuccine among serving bowls or plates. Top each portion generously with the fresh chopped cilantro and crushed peanuts—I always add the peanuts right before serving so they stay crunchy rather than getting soggy from the sauce. Serve immediately while everything is hot and the flavors are bright.