We’re dangerously close to the time of year when the relentless overlords of heat and humidity could strike at any moment, making it downright offensive to turn on an oven. That’s one reason to have Maxi’s Kitchen’s Peanut Chicken Spring Roll Bowls handy. The others? The dish takes less time to make than watching an episode of Summer House. The low-fuss recipe is packed with crunchy veggies and bouncy vermicelli noodles — so it's essentially a deconstructed version of your favorite Vietnamese appetizer. And, perhaps most important, there’s a sweet, spicy, obscenely good peanut dressing that you'll want to put on everything (speaking from experience). Good thing you'll have all summer to do so.
The Time Commitment: Approximately 35 minutes.
Key Tip: To keep the noodles from sticking together, Maxine Sharf (aka Maxi’s Kitchen) recommends rinsing them in cold water after draining and tossing with a little olive oil.
Other Takes: For more easy, breezy, summer recipes, try…
Sheet Pan Salmon and Potatoes with Caper Chimichurri. We could wax poetic about this weeknight hero, but all you need to know: Everything cooks in one pan, then is smothered in a ridiculously vibrant sauce.
Miso-Ginger Chicken Slaw. Use a rotisserie chicken and bagged coleslaw mix and the only real work is making the drinkable dressing and frying the shallots, which are technically optional — but are they really?
Corn Avocado Feta Dill Salad, which is loaded with crisp cucumbers, pickled onions, juicy chicken, and lots of herbs — so it’s fresh, filling, and in the words of one fan, “summer personified.”
What’s new in food & home:
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🥒 Sure, that plastic wrap around your cucumber is there to protect it — but it's also the best storage hack you're not using. As one commenter put it: “This feels like discovering your dress has pockets.”
