Recipe - Spicy Chicken Thighs Noodle Salad

Hey kids,

Thought I might share one of my fave recipes from Bill Granger. This makes 4 "normal people" serves. I usually make it with one chicken thigh each, and use EVOO (instead of vegetable oil) and don't add the sugar. But even if you had it as is, one serve would be about 380 calories.

SPICY CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CUCUMBER AND CASHEW SALAD

SERVES 4

3 TABLESPOONS FISH SAUCE

FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

3 GARLIC CLOVES, CRUSHED

2 LARGE RED CHILLIES, FINELY MINCED

2 TEASPOONS SUGAR

8 BONELESS SKINLESS CHICKEN THIGHS

2 TABLESPOONS VEGETABLE OIL

 CUCUMBER AND CASHEW SALAD

3 TABLESPOONS LIME JUICE

3 TABLESPOONS CASTER (SUPERFINE) SUGAR

200G VERMICELLI NOODLES

2 CUCUMBERS, HALVED AND THINLY SLICED (I use lebonese)

SMALL HANDFUL FRESH MINT LEAVES

4 SPRING ONIONS THINLY SLICED

2 TABLESPOONS CASHEW NUTS, CRUSHED

 Whisk the fish sauce, pepper, garlic, chillies and sugar in bowl.  Put the chicken in a separate bowl and pour over half the marinade.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes (keep the rest of the marinade on one side).

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken, in two batches, and cook for 3 minutes on each side, or until it is cooked through (Note from Bill -"Sometimes, I put another frying pan on top and weight it down with a couple of tins to make the chicken really thin and crispy" - This actually does work!).

While the chicken is cooking, add the lime juice & castor sugar to the marinade that you set aside.  Stir until the sugar has dissolved to make the dressing.

Pour boiling water over the vermicelli and leave for a minute or so until soft.  Drain under cold water, place in a large bowl and add the cucumber, mint, spring onions and cashews.  Add the dressing, toss well and serve with the sliced chicken.

Yum!