Unable to handle another summer of gloopy, mayo-sodden pasta salads, I started tinkering.

And the winning idea actually came from a chicken sandwich. Wondering what to do with leftover grilled chicken breasts that had been marinated in peanut sauce, I decided on a whim to play up the peanuts.

Grabbing a piece of flatbread, I spread it with peanut butter. I then cut my cold chicken breast into thin strips and layered it in the wrap over the peanut butter. Odd? Yes. But truly delicious.

From that inspiration, I made the leap to a chilly pasta salad with chicken (which also would be delicious lightly warmed) in which spicy peanut sauce stood in for the mayonnaise. Here’s what you need to know:

This recipe calls for roasted or grilled chicken that has cooled. The easiest way is to use leftovers, or buy a rotisserie chicken and either let it cool or pop it in the refrigerator overnight.

Asian noodles such as udon are a wonderful choice for this salad, especially if you plan to serve it as an entree. But since most people associate pasta salads with smaller, paper plate-friendly shapes, I stuck with spirals.

Hot and cold chicken peanut noodle salad

Start to finish: 30 minutes

Servings: 6 to 8

1 pound spiral pasta

1 cup frozen peas

1⁄2 cup chunky peanut butter

1⁄3 cup low-fat sour cream

1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce (more or less to taste)

1 tablespoon cider or white vinegar

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1⁄3 cup orange juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 cups roughly chopped cooked and cooled chicken (about 1 pound meat)

2 large carrots, diced

3 scallions, chopped

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions.

Just as the pasta finishes cooking, add the peas and stir for 30 seconds. Drain and rinse the pasta and peas under cold water until cool. Let stand in the colander to drip excess water.

Meanwhile, in a blender combine the peanut butter, sour cream, hot sauce, vinegar, ginger and orange juice. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. If the peanut sauce is too thick, add more orange juice or water until it is pourable.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken and carrots. Add the peas and pasta, then toss well. While continuing to toss, slowly pour in the peanut sauce. Mix until all ingredients are well coated.

Top the salad with scallions. The salad can be refrigerated or served immediately.