Thai Chicken and Glass Noodle Salad with Spicy Dressing

By jeknudson

Ingredients

• Chicken Marinade:
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup mirin*
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons minced ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon sambal*
• Poached Chicken Breasts, recipe follows
• Salad:
• 10 1/2 ounces glass noodles*
• 4 cups boiling hot water
• 1/2 cup Basic Sauce, recipe follows
• 1/2 jicama*, julienne
• 1 carrot, julienne
• 1/2 green papaya*, julienne
• 1 mango, cubed
• 1 English cucumber, seeded and cubed
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 tablespoons fresh Thai basil* leaves, chiffonade
• 1/2 cup Spicy Dressing, recipe follows
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chiffonade
• 1/4 cup peanuts
• *Can be found at specialty Asian markets.

Preparation

Step 1

To make marinade: Combine the soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and sambal in a bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

Remove the chicken meat from the bone and cut or tear into bite size pieces. Toss the chicken meat with the marinade and refrigerate until needed.

To make the salad: Soak the glass noodles in the hot water for 5 minutes, stirring gently to separate and loosen the noodles. Strain the softened noodles and toss with the Basic Sauce. Using a pair of scissors, snip the noodles into shorter lengths. Remove the chicken from the marinade and toss with the glass noodles. Toss the jicama, carrot, green papaya, mango, cucumber, cilantro, and basil with some of the Spicy Dressing. Mix the dressed vegetables with the noodles. Mound onto a plate and sprinkle with bean sprouts, mint, and peanuts. Drizzle with some more of the Spicy Dressing.

Poached Chicken Breasts:
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Cold water
3 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless (about 18 ounces)

In a large pot combine the onion, garlic, bay leaf, salt, and water. (Use just enough water to be able to completely cover the chicken once they have been added to the pot).Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the chicken breasts and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove chicken from water and cool completely.

Basic Sauce:
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
1 teaspoon sambal, see Cook's Note*
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, chopped
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Special equipment: a blender or food processor

Combine the sugar and water in a medium-sized pot and boil for 5 minutes to make a simple syrup.
In a blender puree the sambal, garlic, red pepper, fish sauce, salt, and lemon juice. Add the puree to the pot with the simple syrup. Simmer for 25 minutes until the sauce has thickened to the consistency of corn syrup. Store Basic Sauce in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

*Cook's Note: Sambal is a hot sauce composed of chiles, vinegar, and salt. It can be found in specialty Asian markets.

Yield: 2 cups

Spicy Dressing:
1/2 cup Basic Sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce*
1 tablespoon oyster sauce*
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup vegetable oil

*Can be found at specialty Asian markets

Special equipment: a blender or food processor

In a blender combine the basic sauce, lime juice, fish sauce, oyster sauce, chili flakes, and garlic.
While the blender is running add the vegetable oil in a slow steady stream.
Once all the oil has been added continue to blend for 1 minute, until the dressing has emulsified.
Store in a tightly sealed container, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Yield: 1 cup