VIETNAMESE SALAD WITH POACHED CHICKEN BY ANDREA LOVE
Andrea Love of Eatnik Food is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and nutritionist, recipe developer and food photographer from Brisbane, Australia.
Andrea is a self-taught home cook and loves to create food that makes people happy, whether it be wholesome or indulgent (or a little bit of both). Eatnik is her space to share her recipes that she hopes others will feel inspired to recreate themselves at home.
She believes that food is wonderful and has the ability to bring nothing but enjoyment to every aspect of life. It is social, artistic and creative just as much as it is sustenance – combine it with a healthy mind and lifestyle and you dramatically improve quality of life.
Follow Andrea Love of Eatnik Food on Instagram or Facebook @eatnikfood.
Like many southeast Asian dishes, the combination of sweet, tangy, spicy and salty works well as a dressing to liven up your vegetables. This recipe can also be made in advance, just reserve the dressing and toss it through before you plan on serving.
Ingredients
400g chicken breast
1/4 wombok (Chinese cabbage), shredded
2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
1/2 continental cucumber, seeds removed, cut into matchsticks
1 small red onion, finely sliced
1 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped
1 cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup salted crushed peanuts
1/2 cup fried shallots
200g dried vermicelli noodles, cooked and cooled
For the dressing:
1 red chilli, sliced thinly
1/3 cup lime juice
1/3 cup fish sauce
1/2 tbsp palm sugar (or castor sugar)
Method
Place chicken breast in one layer at the bottom of a pot. Cover completely with cold water.
Bring water to a boil before covering with a lid and reducing to a simmer. Cook for approximately 8-12 minutes (depending on the size and number of chicken breasts) until opaque all the way through.
Remove from poaching liquid, and set aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, shred finely.
Assemble the salad by combining shredded chicken breast with noodles, wombok, carrot, cucumber, onion, mint and coriander leaves.
To make the dressing, whisk all ingredients in a bowl. Pour over salad and toss to combine.
Divide salad into four portions. Top with crushed peanuts and fried shallots to serve.
Serves 4.
