Friday, May 15, 2009

Thai Chicken and Noodle Salad

Recipe from Everyday Food Magazine and Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen
Serves 4

This one-bowl Asian meal made my husband's tummy "purr." He loved it! The secret's in the sauce, made from fragrant kitchen standbys. I loved the different textures with crisp carrots and cucumber, tender noodles, and crunchy peanuts. The basil and mint added great flavor and the dish was quite lovely. This recipe is definitely company worthy! All of the ingredients can be found at Lost River Market & Deli.


Spicy Asian Dressing (See easy make-ahead recipe below)
1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced crosswise
Coarse salt
3 1/2 ounces Chinese rice noodles, broken in half if long
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as safflower
2 carrots, sliced into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn
Bean sprouts, chopped peanuts, fresh mint leaves, red-pepper flakes, and sliced scallion greens, for garnish (optional)

Spicy Asian Dressing: 4 thinly sliced scallion whites; 2 minced garlic cloves; 1/2 cup soy sauce; 1/2 cup rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons light-brown sugar; 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice; 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste (or 1 minced canned anchovy); 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients.

Place chicken and half of dressing in a resealable plastic bag (reserve remaining dressing). Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes (or refrigerate up to overnight).
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles until tender. Drain, and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Transfer to a platter.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Working in batches, cook chicken (do not crowd skillet) until cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes; transfer to platter on top of noodles.
Top with carrots, cucumber, and basil. Drizzle with reserved dressing, and sprinkle with garnishes, if desired.

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