Healthy Copycat CPK Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken
It’s been way too long since I’ve shared a proper main dish recipe, but I’ve just been in a bit of a dinner recipe rut. Instead I’ve been eating a bit like a toddler…whatever I can scrounge up, like, a “meal” is some cheese, a few bites of ground beef, half an avocado, some chia pudding, and air fryer broccoli.
But these healthy copycat California Pizza Kitchen Thai peanut noodles are the re-set I need.
The first time I made this, it was dropped in my lap as my sister ran out the door on a date night, and it was already pretty late with four hungry kids to feed, so I kind of just chucked everything in and hoped for the best.
And I was surprised by how good it was! I sat there at the table making “grrr ommm nommm” noises as I devoured it. So I’ve made it a handful of times since then, tweaking elements to get it exactly where I want.
In particular, I’ve worked for ways to keep the mixture from giving off way too much moisture and becoming a watery mess (that breaks the sauce). The recipe reflects these updates, and while it still will have some moisture—the cabbage in particular sweats—it maintains a great crunch and a nice thick sauce!
My sister and I have both made some changes to make it healthier as well, without compromising the delicious taste. I’ve packed in some extra veggies, but the biggest thing was swapping half of the pasta for roasted spaghetti squash.
It’s super filling and satisfying, while packing a wallop in veggies. We also use gluten-free spaghetti for our own dietary needs, and it’s just as good as regular in this case.
How to make a healthy copycat CPK thai peanut noodles
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cut the spaghetti squash in half (if possible) and smear the exposed part with a bit of olive oil and salt. Roast the two halves face-down until fork-tender and you can easily shred the insides. Or cook it any other way you prefer. Set aside to cool (this can be done ahead of time).
Pat the chicken breasts dry and dice into bite-size pieces. Saute in a pan on medium with a bit of olive oil and salt. The goal is to keep them from getting soggy and watery if possible. Add in a big spoonful of minced garlic toward the very end (don’t add it too early, or it will burn). Set aside.
Bring a pot of water to boil. Add a handful of salt to season the water and add the spaghetti (I break mine in half to make easier to cook and eat).
Cook the pasta until it’s al dente (I shoot for a minute shy of what the box says). Drain and toss with 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, stir to coat and set aside.
Whisk the sauce ingredients (honey, peanut butter, soy sauce/tamari, rice vinegar, and sriracha) together or blend in a small blender or food processor. I like using this Ninja personal-size blender, super easy and you get a nice emulsified sauce.
In a large pot (like a dutch oven or soup pot, heat the pan on medium then add your remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil.
Add the green onions (reserve 1/4 cup for garnish), carrots, napa cabbage, peppers, garlic, and ginger. Saute for a or two until they have softened and barely start to turn color.
Add back the chicken to the pan and then add the pasta and spaghetti squash. Add the sauce, tossing everything together to coat.
Taste to make sure the balance of flavors is right. Sometimes I end up adding more peanut butter, tamari, salt, and/or sriracha.
Serve immediately, garnishing with the remaining green onions.
I definitely love these copycat CPK thai peanut noodles the best when they’re hot and fresh…like anything with a sauce. But I can vouch for how great these leftovers are!
Other easy & delicious dinners you’ll love:
- Bethany’s Easy Chicken Salsa Nachos
- Super Easy & Healthy “Loaded” Thai Chicken Salad
- Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
- Baked Whole Wheat Penne with Summer Veggies & Beef
- Chicken Massaman Curry
- Healthy Honey Sesame Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
- Miso Ginger Chuck Roast
Adapted from Dinner Then Dessert
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Healthier Copycat CPK Thai Peanut Noodles (Gluten-Free Option)
This delicious copycat CPK thai peanut noodles recipe is a healthier (and gluten-free, if desired) version! It's a great meal any night of the week and makes awesome leftovers. Packed with veggies and very indulgent-feeling, this California Pizza Kitchen copycat is a perfect addition to your meal rotation!
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 lbs of chicken breasts (see notes)
- 8 ounces of thin whole wheat or gluten-free spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil, divided
- 1/2 of a medium spaghetti squash, seeded, roasted, & scooped out
- 1 cup of julienned or thinly-peeled carrots
- 2 cups of napa cabbage, thinly sliced (about 1/3 of a cabbage?)
- 8 green onions, chopped (reserve 1/4 cup for garnish)
- 1/2 to 1 cup of thinly sliced red bell peppers (or yellow or orange, NOT green)
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger paste
- SAUCE
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (possibly more)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
- 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of Sriracha sauce (you may want more, start light & add if needed)
Instructions
- One note before you jump in, a lot of these individual steps can be completed at the same time (or in some cases, ahead of time), rather than linearly.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cut the spaghetti squash in half (if possible) and smear the exposed part with a bit of olive oil and salt. Roast the two halves face-down until fork-tender and you can easily shred the insides. Or cook it any other way you prefer. Set aside to cool (this can be done ahead of time).
- Pat the chicken breasts dry and dice into bite-size pieces. Saute in a pan on medium with a bit of olive oil and salt. The goal is to keep them from getting soggy and watery if possible. Add in a big spoonful of minced garlic toward the very end (don't add it too early, or it will burn). Set aside.
- Bring a pot of water to boil. Add a handful of salt to season the water and add the spaghetti (I break mine in half to make easier to cook and eat). Cook the pasta until it's al dente (I shoot for a minute shy of what the box says). Drain and toss with 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, stir to coat and set aside.
- Whisk the sauce ingredients (honey, peanut butter, soy sauce/tamari, rice vinegar, and sriracha) together or blend in a small blender or food processor (I prefer this method, gets a nice emulsification).
- In a large pot (like a dutch oven or soup pot, heat the pan on medium then add your remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil.
- Add the green onions (reserve 1/4 cup for garnish), carrots, napa cabbage, peppers, garlic, and ginger.
Saute for a minute or two until they have softened and barely start to turn color. - Add back the chicken to the pan and then add the pasta and spaghetti squash.
- Add the sauce, tossing everything together to coat. Taste to make sure the balance of flavors is right. I often end up adding more peanut butter, tamari, salt, and/or sriracha.
- Serve immediately, garnishing with the remaining green onions.
Notes
- If time allows, pat the chicken dry and saute in a separate open skillet to avoid creating lots of extra liquid. But if you're pressed for time, you can cook all in one pot.
- For making the sauce, I like to use a small blender or food processor to really emulsify it. If you're just whisking in a bowl, use a bigger one than you think you need!
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