Chicken and vermicelli salad

Light, fresh and bursting with flavour! On a stinking hot summer day it really doesn’t get much better than this gorgeous salad. It is jam packed with fresh veggies and herbs, so you get that lovely crunch with every bite. The chicken is poached before being shredded with a fork so there’s no oil or fat to worry about, meaning you can enjoy a big bowl totally guilt free. The dressing is a simple and classic Thai sauce that’s full of vibrant flavours and really ties the whole dish together. Top with a few roughly chopped peanuts for extra crunch and dig in!

Ingredients

• 600g skinless chicken breast fillets, halved lengthways
• 150g rice vermicelli noodles
• 1 small red capsicum, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
• 100g snow peas, trimmed, thinly sliced
• ½ small Chinese cabbage, finely shredded
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• ½ cup bean sprouts
• ½ cup mint leaves
• ½ cup coriander leaves
• 60g roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Dressing

• ⅓ cup sweet chilli sauce
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 3 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed

Method

1. Bring 1 litre of water to the boil in a large saucepan, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the chicken, cover and simmer for 8–10 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through. Remove from the heat and leave the chicken in the poaching liquid for 10 minutes. Drain. Use two forks to coarsely shred the chicken.

2. Put the noodles in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water and set aside for 2–3 minutes or until tender. Drain. Rinse under cold water, and drain.

3. To make the chilli dressing, put the sauces, lime juice, oil and garlic in a small bowl and whisk until well combined.

4. Combine the capsicum, carrot, snow peas, Chinese cabbage, spring onions, bean sprouts, half the herbs, the noodles and chicken in a large bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and toss to combine. Serve the salad sprinkled with the remaining herbs and the nuts.