Dan dan noodles are chewy noodles coated in a nutty, spicy, savory sauce and topped with crumbly seasoned meat, greens and roasted peanuts. This version is sized for two and ready in about 30 minutes, with a sauce you build right in the serving bowls. I used tahini in place of Chinese sesame paste, so you only need pantry staples and one jar of chili oil, and a browned ground chicken topping that you can cook while the noodles boil. It is the kind of bowl that tastes complicated but takes only a skillet, a pot and a few spoonfuls of sauce.
Why you’ll like it
- Ready in 30 minutes: 15 minutes of prep and about 15 minutes of cooking.
- Made for two: two bowls, no pot of leftover noodles.
- Pantry-friendly: tahini, soy sauce, chili oil and a few spices make the sauce.
- Heat you control: start mild and stir in more chili oil at the table.
- A full dinner in one bowl: noodles, savory chicken and bok choy together.
What are dan dan noodles?
Dan dan noodles come from Sichuan cooking. The classic bowl has a spoonful of sesame paste, soy sauce and chili oil at the bottom, a nest of noodles on top, and a scoop of crumbled, seasoned meat. You toss it all together before you eat, so every strand picks up the sauce. Traditional versions often use ground pork and preserved vegetables, and the sauce carries a mild tingling heat from Sichuan pepper.
Recipes you find online vary quite a bit. Some include homemade chili oil, which can take an hour, while others use a quick pantry sauce. This version follows the quick approach, so the bowl is ready on a weeknight, and it keeps the elements that make the dish what it is: sesame, chili, soy, five spice and a savory meat topping.
What makes it work
The sauce is built in the bowl. Stirring the tahini, soy sauce, chili oil, garlic, sugar and spices together first makes a thick paste. Hot broth then loosens it into a glossy sauce right before the noodles go in, so it clings to every strand instead of pooling.
A browned, dry topping. The ground chicken cooks until the liquid in the pan is gone and the pieces are browned. That concentrates the flavor and gives the topping a slightly crisp edge against the soft noodles.
Balance in the bowl. The tahini adds richness, the sugar softens the heat, and a splash of rice vinegar adds a little acidity so the bowl does not feel heavy.
Greens in the noodle pot. The bok choy cooks for the final minute in the same pot, so there is no extra pan to wash.
How it’s sized for two
Popular dan dan noodle recipes serve four to six. This one is about half of the four-serving versions: 6 ounces of ground chicken, 6 ounces of dried noodles and 1/3 cup of hot broth. That makes two satisfying bowls without a pile of leftover noodles, which do not reheat well anyway.
A medium skillet is the right size for the chicken, because a thin layer browns instead of steaming. The sauce is divided between the two serving bowls before the noodles are cooked, so each of you can adjust the heat in your own bowl.
Ingredients for dan dan noodles
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below. Here is what each one does and what to use if you cannot find it.
- Tahini: a sesame paste that is easy to find in most grocery stores. Smooth peanut butter also works and gives a rounder, nuttier sauce.
- Light soy sauce: the salty base of the sauce. Choose low-sodium if you prefer to control the salt.
- Chili oil or chili crisp: the heat and the aroma. Brands differ a lot in spice, so start with the amount given and add more after tasting.
- Ground Sichuan peppercorns: they add the tingling, citrusy heat that sets the dish apart. If you cannot find them, a pinch of black pepper is a simple substitute.
- Five spice powder: a warm, slightly sweet spice blend used in both the sauce and the topping.
- Rice vinegar: adds a bright note that takes the place of the black vinegar and pickled greens in traditional versions.
- Ground chicken thigh: juicy and flavorful, and it browns well. It stands in for the ground pork that traditional recipes use.
- Hoisin and dark soy sauce: season the topping with sweetness and a deep color.
- Dried thin wheat noodles: any thin wheat noodle works. Choose one with a chewy bite.
- Baby bok choy, scallions and peanuts: fresh crunch and color on top.
How to make dan dan noodles
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Stir the sauce ingredients into a paste in each serving bowl.
- Brown the ground chicken for 5 minutes, until it reaches 165°F and the liquid has cooked off.
- Stir in the hoisin, dark soy sauce and remaining five spice, and cook for 1 minute.
- Cook the noodles, adding the bok choy for the last minute, then drain.
- Stir the hot broth into the sauce bowls and add the noodles and bok choy.
- Top with chicken, scallions and peanuts, and toss before eating.
Step-by-step notes
Making the sauce paste. Put half of the tahini, soy sauce, chili oil, garlic, sugar, spices and vinegar in each bowl and stir until smooth. It will look thick, like a loose peanut butter. That is correct; the hot broth thins it later.
Browning the chicken. Heat the skillet until the oil shimmers, add the chicken and break it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon. At first it will release liquid. Keep cooking, stirring now and then, until the pan looks dry and the pieces are browned, about 5 minutes. Check with a thermometer that it reaches 165°F. Then add the hoisin, dark soy sauce and five spice and cook for 1 minute to glaze the chicken.
Cooking the noodles. Follow the package directions for time, and add the halved bok choy for the final minute so it turns bright green and stays slightly crisp. Drain well, because extra water thins the sauce.
Assembling. Pour half of the hot broth into each bowl and stir the paste until it becomes a smooth, glossy sauce. Add the noodles and bok choy, then the chicken, scallions and peanuts. Toss everything together right away so the sauce coats the noodles.
Tips for the best dan dan noodles
- Start mild. Chili oils vary, so use the amount in the card first and add more at the table.
- Use the hot broth. Hot liquid loosens the tahini paste and keeps the noodles warm.
- Drain the noodles well. A well-drained noodle lets the sauce cling instead of running to the bottom of the bowl.
- Let the chicken brown. Wait until the pan is dry and you hear it sizzle before you stir in the seasonings.
- Toss before you eat. The sauce sits at the bottom, so mixing is what spreads the flavor.
Variations
- Peanut butter version: swap the tahini for smooth peanut butter in the same amount for a sauce that tastes closer to a peanut noodle.
- Vegetarian: leave out the chicken and use vegetable broth. Brown some chopped mushrooms in the skillet and season them with the hoisin and soy sauce.
- Milder bowl: use less chili oil, skip the Sichuan pepper and add a little more sugar.
- Other greens: spinach or choy sum can replace the bok choy.
What to serve with dan dan noodles
The noodles are a full meal, but a few simple sides round out the table.
- Cucumber salad: sliced cucumber with a splash of rice vinegar cools the heat.
- Steamed edamame: a quick, salty side that is easy to eat with your fingers.
- Extra toppings: more chopped peanuts, scallions or a spoonful of chili oil at the table.
- Something cold to drink: iced tea or cold water goes well with the spice.
Set the chili oil jar between you and let each person decide how spicy their bowl should be.
Storage and make-ahead
Cooked noodles dry out and stick together, so these are best eaten right away. If you want to prepare ahead, cool the chicken topping and refrigerate it in an airtight container within 2 hours. Eat it within 3 to 4 days and reheat it until it reaches 165°F. Keep the sauce paste covered in the refrigerator too, and cook fresh noodles when you are ready to eat.
Two bowls, a quick sauce and a pile of savory topping is all it takes. Toss it well, add more chili oil if you dare and enjoy it together.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make dan dan noodles with peanut butter?
Yes. Smooth peanut butter replaces the tahini in the same amount and gives a nuttier, slightly sweeter sauce, which many home cooks prefer when they cannot find sesame paste.
What are the ingredients in dan dan noodles?
A sesame sauce with soy sauce, chili oil, garlic, sugar and spices, thin wheat noodles, a savory ground meat topping, greens, scallions and peanuts. This version uses tahini, ground chicken and bok choy.
How do I make simple dan dan noodles?
Stir the sauce together in the bowls, brown the chicken while the noodles boil, then add hot broth to the sauce, the noodles and the topping. The whole bowl takes about 30 minutes.
How spicy are dan dan noodles?
As spicy as you make them. Start with the chili oil in the recipe and stir in more at the table; leaving out the Sichuan peppercorns makes the bowl milder.
Print
Dan Dan Noodles for Two
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 bowls
Description
Chewy noodles in a nutty, spicy sesame sauce with savory ground chicken, bok choy and peanuts, ready in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili oil or chili crisp, plus more to taste
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup hot low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
- 6 ounces ground chicken thigh
- 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 6 ounces dried thin wheat noodles
- 2 heads baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the noodles.
- Divide the tahini, soy sauce, chili oil, garlic, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of the five spice powder, Sichuan peppercorns and rice vinegar between two serving bowls and stir each into a paste.
- Heat the neutral oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and cook for 5 minutes, breaking it up, until the liquid has cooked off, the chicken is browned and it reaches 165°F.
- Stir the hoisin, dark soy sauce and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of five spice powder into the chicken and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
- Cook the noodles in the boiling water according to the package directions, adding the bok choy for the last minute. Drain well.
- Pour half of the hot broth into each bowl and stir the sauce until smooth. Divide the noodles and bok choy between the bowls.
- Top with the chicken, scallions and peanuts. Toss everything together before eating, and add more chili oil to taste.
Notes
Equipment: large pot, medium skillet, two serving bowls, instant-read thermometer
- Start with the lower amount of chili oil if you want mild heat, then add more at the table.
- No tahini: smooth peanut butter works in the same amount and gives a rounder, nuttier sauce.
- Ground Sichuan peppercorns add a tingling heat; leave them out if you cannot find them and add a pinch of black pepper.
- Stir the sauce with the hot broth right before adding the noodles so it stays glossy and clings.
- Doneness: The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F and it is browned with no liquid left in the pan.
- Doneness: The noodles are done when they are tender with a slight chew, according to the package directions.
- Cool the chicken topping and refrigerate it in an airtight container within 2 hours; eat it within 3 to 4 days and reheat it until it reaches 165°F. Keep the sauce paste covered in the refrigerator as well and cook fresh noodles when you want to eat again, since stored noodles turn dry and stick.
- Cook ground chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F (USDA FSIS).
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
- Wash hands, the cutting board and tools after handling raw chicken.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Noodles
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
