Chicken Noodle Salad with Peanut-Ginger Dressing

⅓ cup smooth peanut butter

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon Asian garlic-chili sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger root

⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 (16 ounce) package uncooked linguine pasta

3 ½ cups cooked chicken, cut into strips

1 cup julienne-sliced carrot

6 green onions, chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips

1 celery rib, thinly sliced

½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

½ cup chopped roasted peanuts, for garnish

To make the dressing, place the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili-garlic sauce, brown sugar, ginger, red pepper flakes, and 3 tablespoons of chicken broth together in a blender or bowl of a food processor. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Thin the dressing to your taste by adding more chicken broth or water.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and place pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Add the chicken, carrots, green onions, red pepper, celery, and cilantro to the bowl with the linguine. Pour the dressing over the noodle-chicken mixture and toss until mixture is evenly coated. Divide the salad among eight serving plates, and sprinkle peanuts over each serving.