Chicken Salad with Citrus & Chilli Dressing

It's often hard to get excited about a salad isn't it? Generally they're not the most exciting of dinners. However today, I am getting excited by a salad.

I made this salad for the first time on Monday and it was nothing short of delicious, it surprised even me. A light and fresh dish which would be perfect for a warm summer's evening - that is, if we should ever get another one! It's also only 282 calories per serving which I think is pretty good, and we will ignore the fact that I served this with chunks of warm ciabatta and small bowls of chilli oil and balsamic vinegar...

One of the best things about this is meal is it's a good way of using up leftover roast chicken but you can just quite as easily roast a couple of chicken breasts (which is what I did) or buy some pre-cooked chicken from the supermarket if you're short on time.

Chicken Salad with Citrus & Chilli Dressing

Ingredients

2 skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1/2 a cucumber, deseeded and diced

1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped

1tbsp fresh mint leaves

1tbsp fresh coriander leaves

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced

3 limes, juiced

1tsp freshly grated ginger

1tbsp fish sauce

1tbsp soft brown sugar

1tbsp roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Method

Place the shredded chicken into a large salad bowl and add the cucumber, shallot, herbs and chilli.

In a separate bowl mix the lime juice, ginger, fish sauce and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour half the dressing over the salad and mix gently. 

Serve the salad with some chopped peanuts and the remaining dressing.

I thought that the juice of three limes was excessive and was worried that it would be too overpowering, however it wasn't at all. In fact it didn't taste that lime-y (is that a word?) at all. It was just right.

Now, this doesn't make a huge amount if you're thinking of it as a main meal hence the dipping bread and I also served Mr M's on a bed of mixed salad leaves so it looked a bit bulkier for him as I knew he'd look a bit alarmed at the portion.  

love & kisses
Mrs M x