Sesame Chicken with Sesame-Lime Noodle Salad

This sesame chicken noodle salad is a

go-to packed lunch: a cold noodle salad full of crunchy vegetables and a bright sesame-lime dressing, with chicken packed on the side. Make the chicken crispy with a panko-sesame coating or keep it simple and plain, then everyone builds their own bowl.

Components for sesame chicken noodle salad: noodles, sliced snap peas, diced chicken, edamame, shredded carrots, scallions and a jar of sesame-lime dressing in separate glass containers

Serves: 4

Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

• Cooking spray

Noodle Salad

• 8 ounces high-protein spaghetti or thin noodles

• 1 cup shelled edamame, cooked and cooled

• 1 1/2 cups snap peas, thinly sliced

• 1 cup shredded carrots

• 3 scallions, thinly sliced

Sesame-Lime Dressing

• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. Season the chicken with salt and garlic powder. Dip in the beaten egg, then coat in the panko mixed with sesame seeds. Arrange on the prepared sheet pan and lightly spray with cooking spray.

3. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, turning once, until crisp and the chicken reaches 165°F. Cool completely before packing.

4. Cook the noodles according to package directions until just al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain very well.

5. Whisk the soy sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, ginger and sesame seeds.

6. Combine the noodles, edamame, snap peas, carrots and scallions. Toss with enough dressing to lightly coat. Reserve extra dressing if desired.

7. Pack the crispy chicken separately from the noodle salad so it doesn't soften.

For plain chicken: Skip the egg, panko, sesame seeds and cooking spray. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces, season with salt, garlic powder and black pepper, and bake at 425°F for 12 to 15 minutes, until it reaches 165°F.

Serving

Serve chilled. The chicken can be eaten cold alongside or on top of the noodle salad. Keep refrigerated or packed with an ice pack until lunch.

Build Your Plate

• Lighter: plain chicken over a half portion of noodles with extra snap peas, carrots and edamame.

• Bigger appetites: crispy chicken, a full scoop of noodles and a little extra edamame.

• Picky eaters: crispy chicken strips with plain noodles and dressing on the side for dipping.

• Richer: a drizzle of chili crisp or a spoonful of peanut butter whisked into the dressing.

Leftovers

The chicken keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge and the noodle salad keeps 3 to 4 days, stored separately. Keep the extra dressing in a jar and add a splash before serving if the noodles have soaked it up. Later in the week, tuck the crispy chicken into a wrap with shredded carrots and dressing, or toss the plain chicken and leftover vegetables with greens for a quick salad.