Bright, Light, Fresh & Zingy
This salad is one I have been teaching for years. It is light, bright, zingy and fresh but packed in so much flavour. You feel like you are getting a fancy take-out treat but it is such a delicious lunch you can prep in advance at home. As the days get a little brighter I always think we begin to crave more dishes like this. It is not overly spicy at all, just interesting and invigorating.
Don’t try to replace lemons for the limes, trust me it does not work. If you hate coriander don’t just not use any herb… use fresh herbs. They are the secret to enjoying food like this. It wont taste the same but use lots of fresh parsley, basil and chives and it will be delicious.
Also it is the small details with this recipe that take it from being average to totally satisfying.
Don’t not skimp on the garnish. The little hint of red from the fresh chilli at the end paired with the crunch of some peanuts or some sesame seeds is essential to get the full effect of this one. Also feel free to swap in and out whatever veg you like, just try to have one that is a little soft and then something for crunch too.
In terms of noodles, you have options. Glass or thread noodles are fab and very authentic, however for a little extra nutrition you could use my personal favourite; soba noodles. These are made form buckwheat, have a slower release of energy and are a little higher in fibre. If I am honest I would steer clear of basic medium egg noodles here. This salad is too lovely for them.
I also love to make this in a big glass jar if I am prepping a few in advance. It will hold for 2 or 3 days, just keep the salad dressing separate and drizzle over and toss just before you eat.
Why not make a big batch and share with a colleague or a friend and give them the gift of a lovely, wholesome, modern and delicious lunch.
Bang Bang Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Ingredients
Marinade
- 3 chicken fillets
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 limes
- 1 fresh red chilli
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar / honey
- 2 cloves garlic
Salad
- 200 g rice noodles
- 2 carrots
- 1 red onion / 2 spring onions
- lettuce / pak choi / spinach / cucumber
- Cherry tomatoes & Optional : bean sprouts
- Fresh Coriander
Bang Bang Sauce
- 75 g Peanut Butter
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic / garlic powder ( 1 tsp)
- 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
Instructions
Method
- Soak the noodles in boiling water.
- Make the marinade: Whisk together the lime zest/juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, grated garlic, 1/2 sliced chilli and sugar together until the sugar dissolves. Pour 1/3 of this mix into a bowl, add the oil and set aside (this will be the dressing).
- Put the remainder into a large bowl or freezer bag with 1 tsp salt and the garlic.
- Slice the chicken into thin strips, add it to the marinade and allow to sit for 20mins.
- Prepare the rest of the salad ingredients. Using a vegetable peeler create carrot ribbons, slice the spring onions diagonally, shred the lettuce, and half the cherry tomatoes. Scoop out the avocado and slice lengthways.
- Heat the 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan or a griddle pan, add in the chicken and fry on high heat until crisp on the outside and cooked through. This will take about 10 minutes for the chicken to be fully cooked. If cooking larger quantities do in batches.
- Drain the noodles.
Bang Bang Sauce
- Combine all the sauce ingredients together. Drizzle liberally over the salad.
- Combine all the ingredients in a big serving bowl, drizzle over the marinade, toss everything together and then garnish with some freshly chopped coriander, chilli slices and a wedge of lime.
