Thai Noodles with Peanut Sauce

I really love this easy to make, Thai inspired noodle dish. The key for this recipe is the use of sesame oil and fresh ginger and garlic. These ingredients add so much to the flavor profile. If you want to, you can use Udon noodles or rice noodles, usually found in the Asian section of your market. You can use yellow or red onions if you like, use red or green peppers, but you need to use sesame oil and fresh garlic and ginger !
The addition of leftover cooked chicken makes it a more of a hearty entrée, instead of just a side dish. I love the taste of fresh cilantro as well, so I will add some more as a garnish, along with a squeeze of fresh lime. I hope you will try this recipe out. Enjoy !

8 oz spaghetti, or linguine
3 Tbs sesame oil, (divided)
1 red or green pepper, sliced into 1/2" thin strips

4 green onions with tops, sliced on diagonal.

1/4 cup carrot matchsticks

1/2 cucumber, seeded and sliced in half. (omit if adding chicken)
3 garlic cloves minced
1 Tbs fresh ginger, minced
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 Tbs rice vinegar
3 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs Sriracha sauce or to taste.
1/4 cup loose packed, chopped, cilantro
2 Tbs sweet Chile sauce, (optional)
1 - 2 cups cooked, chopped chicken, (optional)

Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water and place in serving bowl. Drizzle 1 Tbsp. of the sesame oil into pasta and toss to coat. Mix in prepared veggies to pasta.
In a med. sauté pan, heat the other 2 Tbsp. of oil and add garlic and ginger.
Cook over med. heat, stirring occasionally until ginger is fragrant. Careful not to brown !
Turn heat to low, and add peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and Sriracha sauce. 

Stir until combined.
Pour sauce over pasta, toss with cilantro to taste.
Add optional items, if desired.

Chill at least 1 hour.