Thai Chicken Salad

 

Thai Chicken Salad is a delicious and refreshing dish that combines grilled or cooked chicken with a variety of fresh vegetables, herbs, and a tangy Thai-inspired dressing. Here's a basic recipe to get you started:

Ingredients:

For the Salad:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 6 cups mixed greens (such as lettuce, spinach, or arugula)
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, julienned or shredded
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts or cashews (optional for garnish)
• Lime wedges (for garnish)

For the Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar or palm sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 Thai bird's eye chilies, minced (adjust to your spice preference)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Instructions:

1. Grill or cook the chicken breasts until fully cooked. You can marinate them in a bit of soy sauce and oil before cooking for extra flavor. Once cooked, let them rest for a few minutes, then slice them into thin strips.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients until the sugar is dissolved. Taste and adjust the balance of sweet, salty, and sour by adding more sugar, lime juice, or fish sauce as needed.
3. In a large salad bowl, combine the mixed greens, sliced cucumber, red bell pepper, julienned carrot, sliced red onion, cilantro, and mint leaves.
4. Add the sliced chicken on top of the salad.
5. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Start with a portion of the dressing and add more as needed, as it can be quite potent. Toss the salad gently to coat all the ingredients with the dressing.
6. If desired, sprinkle chopped peanuts or cashews on top for added crunch and garnish with lime wedges.
7. Serve the Thai Chicken Salad immediately, or refrigerate it for a short while to let the flavors meld together before serving.

Feel free to customize this salad by adding other ingredients like bean sprouts, cherry tomatoes, or avocado. Adjust the spice level to your preference by adding more or fewer chilies. Enjoy your Thai Chicken Salad as a refreshing and satisfying meal!