Sweet & Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 4.

• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• a large bag of mixed salad leaves
• 1 cucumber, sliced
• 1 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
• 1 large Mango, peeled & sliced into juliennes (long thin strips).
• ½ cup bean sprouts
• ½ cup pan toasted desiccated coconut
• ½ cup pan toasted peanuts or cashew nuts.
• MARINADE FOR CHICKEN:
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 5 cloves garlic, minced.
• 1 tsp. dark soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1-cup fresh coriander, roughly chopped.
• 1 Tsp ground black pepper.
• SALAD DRESSING:
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp. minced lemongrass
• 1 kaffir lime leaf
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. grated galangal OR ginger
• 2 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh coriander
• 1 finely chopped & de-seeded red chillies.
• 1/4 cup water

Method:

· Mix the chicken marinade ingredients together and rub over chicken, allow to marinate for 15 minutes

· Place chicken on a grill with a flat tray underneath to catch the drippings. Set oven to grill setting. Lay chicken on the grill, making sure it lies as flat as possible. Place chicken under grill (close to the heating element), cook for 5 minutes each side, or until cooked (chicken will be lightly charred around the edges). When turning, use the leftover marinade to baste chicken once or twice.

· While chicken is cooking, prepare the salad leaves, mango, basil, sprouts (keep separate coconut & nuts for later use) and dressing.

To make the dressing:

place water, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaf in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute (this will soften the lemongrass and bring out the flavour of the lime leaf). Remove from heat.

· Add the rest of the dressing ingredients to the lemongrass-lime leaf water. Mix well.

· Remove the kaffir lime leaf and discard.

· When chicken is done cooking, slice it into strips on a cutting board.

· Toss the salad with the dressing and top with strips of grilled chicken. Sprinkle with coconut & cashew nuts or peanuts and serve immediately while chicken is still warm.