Crunchy Noodle Salad
This is a salad I would make if I was asked to ‘bring a salad’. It’s perfect for the warmer weather, it’s substantial enough to have it on its own for lunch or dinner, or serve as a side salad alongside a larger spread.
Serves/Makes- 6-8 as a side salad, 3 as a main meal
Ingredients- 16
Cooking Time- 30 minutes
Skill Level- Easy
Ingredients
5 (500g) chicken thigh fillets, skin on and ideally boneless.
½ wombok/chinese cabbage, finely shred the leaves only and discard the stalk/heart
½ red onion, finely sliced
1 bunch of coriander, finely chopped
4 stalks of spring onion, finely chopped
½ cup of toasted peanuts, roughly chopped
¼ cup of sesame seeds, toasted
½ packet (250g) Chang’s Crunchy Noodles
¼ cup of fried shallots
Dressing
2 tablespoons of peanut butter
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
Juice of 1-2 limes
¼ cup of water
¼ long red chilli, finely chopped
Method
- Prep the chicken first if adding chicken to the salad. I’ve chosen skin on deboned thigh fillets as they are the easiest to cook in a pan to get a nice crispy skin and juicy flesh. You may need to debone the thigh fillets if you have bought them from a supermarket, otherwise go to your local butcher and ask them to do it for you. If adding the chicken to this salad, start by placing the thigh fillets skin side down into a cold pan. Cook on low-medium heat for about 5-8 minutes to render out the fat and also crisp up the skin. To get really crispy skin, I like to cover the chicken with a piece of baking paper and then use a pot to push down the chicken to get as much contact with the pan as possible. Once the skin is crisp and golden, flip to the other side and cook for another few minutes until fully cooked through. Remove from the pan, allow to cool slightly before slicing into bite sized pieces.
- Place all of the dressing ingredients into a bowl and stir to combine. Add extra lime juice and water to thin out the sauce so it is ‘runny yoghurt’ consistency.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the chicken, wombok, red onion, coriander, spring onion, toasted peanuts and sesame seeds and ¾ of the dressing. Toss to combine to coat all of the ingredients and add the remaining dressing to your liking.
- Add in the crunchy noodles and fried shallots, quickly toss and then serve onto a platter.
- Scatter over extra crunchy noodles, peanuts and coriander to garnish.
Making ahead
- You can make this salad ahead of time by making the dressing, cooking the chicken and prepping all of the salad ingredients in a bowl ready to be tossed before serving. If you add the dressing too early before serving the noodles will become soggy so best to add them at the very end and just before serving.
Notes
- You can add or remove any of the salad ingredients to your liking or based on what’s in season.
- You can remove the chicken to make it vegetarian or a lighter side salad.
Watch the Process