Cook Elyse's Favorite Backyard Dinner
What to cook for a socially distant backyard dinner or family get together? Try one of Elyse's go-to summer meals.
Soba Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce and Grilled Chicken Skewers
Here’s how to pull off one of my favorite summer meals for a dinner the whole family will love (except my picky 2 year old!) :)
Recipes you’ll need: All are from Run Fast. Eat Slow.
- Mighty Marinade page 176
- Soba Noodle Salad page 87
- Runner’s High Peanut Sauce page 175
Day Before:
Step 1: Marinate 2 pounds of chicken tenders the night before by combining the chicken in a glass container or zipper bag with the Mighty Marinade.
One Hour Before Dinner:
Step 2: Soak your wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes. Remove chicken from fridge and thread onto skewers.
Step 3: Cook the noodles. I used GF rice noodles but buckwheat/soba noodles work great too. In the last 2 minutes of cook time, toss the broccoli directly in with the noodles for a light steam (you want the broccoli to stay crisp). Drain and rinse under cold water then separate out the broccoli for the veggie platter. Toss the noodles with a little toasted sesame oil and a splash of soy sauce.
Step 4: Make the sauce. This sauce comes together in just 15 minutes. You’ll need an immersion blender for a smooth result.
Step 5: Grill the chicken. Watch it carefully. White meat chicken is easy to overcook/dry out. If that happens, you can just slather it in even more peanut sauce!
Step 6: Assemble the platter with noodles, broccoli, bell pepper, cilantro, peanuts and any other fave raw veggies sliced thin (purple cabbage, snap peas, carrots, jalapeños, scallions, etc)
Step 7: Serve the salad cold and the peanut sauce warm. Drizzle everything generously with that addictive peanut sauce. Yum!
It sounds like a lot of steps but I promise this dinner comes together quickly and you won't need your oven. Some of the steps can be accomplished at the same time, especially if you have a helper. To save time, you could make the sauce the day before and skip the skewers. If you’re not using skewers, use a mix of skinless/boneless chicken thighs and chicken breasts instead of chicken tenders.
Enjoy!