Mid Week - Coconut Poached Chicken Salad With Diana Chan

I often get asked about what I eat daily and my answer is it varies on my mood but my meals would usually consist of lots of fresh greens and herbs like this one which is my go to salad. I would have this once, maybe twice a week and mix up the protein with a piece of rare steak, lamb backstrap, koftas, prawns or pork burgers. Try it out and I guarantee you will keep making this. Ps, it's also good for when you're trying to stay lean but not sacrificing taste!

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

For the salad

• 500g of cooked glass noodles (Mung bean or substitute with rice vermicelli)
• A bunch of fresh coriander, chiffonade
• A bunch of fresh vietnamese mint, chiffonade
• A bunch of shiso leaves, chiffonade
• A bunch of thai basil, leaves only
• 3 bird’s eye  chillies, finely sliced
• 2 cucumbers, julienned 
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, julienned
• ½ bunch of spring onions, finely sliced
• Sesame oil for drizzling

For the chicken

• 1kg chicken breasts
• 1.5 litre coconut milk
• 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn
• 2 lemongrass stalks, bruised and chopped
• Pinch of salt

Dressing

• 100ml fish sauce
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• Juice of 2 lemons
• ¼ cup of water

Garnish

• ½ cup of crushed roasted peanuts (optional)

Method:

1. Place the coconut milk and 2 cups of water in a pot on medium heat and the kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and salt.
2. For the chicken, cut each breast into 3 pieces and place it into the pot and cook for 15-20 mins until fully cooked through. Drain from liquid and allow it to cool. Once cool, shred into smaller strips.
3. For the salad, cook the noodles in the pot of boiling water. This should take approximately 1-2 mins to cook through. Drain, drizzle some sesame oil and set aside
4. Meanwhile make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together in a jug until the sugar has completely dissolved.
5. Mix the glass noodles together with all the vegetables and herbs in a large mixing bowl.
6. Place into a serving bowl, dress with the dressing and garnish with some crushed peanuts and fried shallots.
7. TIP: freeze the liquid from cooking the chicken and use again.