“Taste of Health” with Graham Kerr
Thai Chicken Salad
Serves 4
Time Estimate
Hands-on, 30 minutes
Dressing Ingredients
½ cup rice wine vinegar
½ cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
Chicken Salad Ingredients
6 ounces (175 gm) uncooked Chinese rice noodles
½ head iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
¼ teaspoon freshly ground sea salt
1 teaspoon light olive oil with a dash of toasted sesame oil
4 green onions, separated into white and green parts, both cut into ¼-inch (0.75 cm) pieces
4 quarter-size fresh gingerroot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, bashed, peeled, and chopped
12 ounces (350 gm) boneless, skinless, chicken breast, sliced lengthwise into ¼ x 2-inch (.75x5-cm) strips
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup bean sprouts
juice of 1 large lime
Garnish Ingredients
½ cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 thin (3x¼-inch or 8x.75-cm) slice fresh gingerroot
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Dressing Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.
Garnish Directions
Add the rice and ginger to a small, dry pan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the rice turns nutty brown. Transfer to a small coffee mill, grind to a coarse texture, and set aside.
Chicken Salad Directions
Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process; keep moist. Let the noodles sit in a sieve or colander for 5 minutes, allowing any excess moisture to drain.
Combine the noodles with the lettuce, half of the tomatoes, half of the dressing, the cilantro, and the salt.
Pour the oil into a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the white parts of the green onions, the gingerroot, and garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken strips and red pepper flakes, and cook for 6 minutes. Add the green onion tops, the remaining
tomatoes, and the bean sprouts, and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add the remaining dressing and the limejuice, and remove the pan from the heat.
To serve: Divide the noodle mixture among 4 deep bowls and top with equal amounts of the chicken salad. Sprinkle each portion with cilantro and 1 teaspoon of the ground rice garnish.
