ASIAN CHICKEN + CABBAGE SALAD

How miserable is this weather? Snow would be fine... absolutely fine! It's winter so it can snow! But come on who thought it was a good idea to constantly rain? Not your usual London drizzle... we are talking buckets and buckets and buckets of rain. The other day it decided to majorly thunderstorm on the 500 meter walk from the station to my house. I am talking lightning striking next to me and golf ball size chunks of hail (errr... maybe peanut... but they were big enough to hurt).

When you've been slapped around by hail, torrential rain and high-speed winds and are absolutely soaked you need a vitamin fueled dinner, spiced up with loads of chilli and ideally flavoured with some yummy spices. This is where this Asian Chicken Salad comes in. We are talking plenty of shallots and Chinese cabbage, packed with vitamin C, antioxidants, carotene and much, much more. Of course it does help that I am a bit of a sucker for any Asian style salad (see here) and that Mat cooked it and I didn't have to move a finger (<= yep I know it seems to be a re-occurring trend. I might just let him take over my blog :P)

Absolutely delicious, super easy and very healthy, this dish is a pure taste sensation. Be warned (!!!), do not cook for a dinner date, dinner party or if you have an important meeting the next day. You know what I'm saying! Shallots and garlic is what I am saying!

Enjoy,

Etta xo

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SERVES 4

PREPARATION 10mins

COOKS 45mins

INGREDIENTS

• 70g shallots, peeled and very thinly sliced (if you have a mandolin slicer, use that and mind your fingers)
• salt
• 1tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 400g chicken thigh fillets (at room temperature), you can also use chicken breast
• 2tbsp light soy sauce
• 1tsp honey
• 400g Chinese cabbage, core removed and finely shredded
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely shredded
• 15g Thai sweet basil leaves, roughly chopped
• 40g roasted peanuts, lightly smashed in the pestle and mortar + a bit more to garnish
• freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing

• 3tbsp fish sauce
• 3tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1tbsp rice vinegar
• 2tbsp palm sugar, disolved in 1tbsp hot water
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 red bird's eye chillies, finely chopped

PREPARATION METHOD

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180˚C. Mix together the soy sauce and honey. Place the chicken thighs into a large bowl and pour over the soy sauce/honey mix. Make sure the chicken is well coated. Sit the chicken thighs into a baking tray and pour over any remaining sauce. Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked and all juices run clear.
2. While the chicken is cooking, mix the shallots, salt and 1tbsp of rice vinegar in a large bowl and set aside for 30 minutes, or until softened.
3. For the dressing, mix together the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl until well combined.
4. Once the chicken is cooked cut into bite size strips and add to the bowl of shallots as well as any juices that have dripped into the baking tray.
5. Mix in the Chinese cabbage leaves, shredded carrot, Thai basil and peanuts until well combined.
6. Pour over the dressing, season, to taste, with freshly ground black pepper, then mix well until the dressing coats the salad ingredients.
7. Pile onto large plates and sprinkle with any remaining peanuts... and if it's not spicy enough for you drizzle some Sriracha on top. Works a treat!

Recipe taken from Rick Stein and adapted by Etta.