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My Thai Chicken Salad, An Uncontested Winner

Linda Gassenheimer

Listen to Linda's Food Talk show on OURadio.org!

Try this Thai chicken Salad for a one-dish summer dinner. The secret to this dish is the dressing. It’s made by adding Thai peanut sauce to your favorite vinaigrette or oil and vinegar dressing. The rich peanut sauce adds authentic spices and blends all the delicate ingredients together. Chicken, shredded Chinese cabbage and summer fruit create a refreshing combination of flavors and textures. Look for a bottled sauce that fits your requirements.

I tasted a similar salad on a trip to Thailand and when I asked the chef to go easy on the very hot chili peppers that go into most Thai food, he said the delicate blend of flavors of the fruit and herbs are the important elements. The heat can vary. So add as much heat as you like to this mild version.

This meal contains 591 calories per serving with 20 percent of calories from fat.

Helpful Hints:
• Bok choy or any other type of cabbage can be used instead of Chinese or Napa cabbage.
• Any type of berries, peaches, plum or apricots can be used instead of strawberries and grapes.
• Dried Chinese noodles or Angel hair pasta can be used instead of steamed Chinese noodles.
• Parsley can be used instead of cilantro.

Countdown:
• Place water for noodles on to boil.
• Combine dressing ingredients.
• Complete Thai Salad recipe.
• Cook noodles.

SHOPPING LIST
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for tonight’s Dinner in Minutes.
To buy: 1 bottle Thai peanut sauce, 1 small head Chinese (Napa) cabbage, 3/4 pound roasted or rotisserie chicken, 1 bunch scallions, 1 package steamed Chinese noodles, 1 small container strawberries, 1 small package red seedless grapes, 1 small bunch cilantro and 1 small can sliced water chestnuts.

Staples: Low-fat vinaigrette dressing, hot pepper sauce, salt and black peppercorns.


Listen to Linda's Food Talk show on OURadio.org!

Linda Gassenheimer is the author of fourteen cookbooks including her newest, Prevention’s Fit and Fast Meals in Minutes and Mix ‘n Match Meals in Minutes for People with Diabetes. Do you have any questions about a recipe or cooking method? Or, have you tried the recipe and added your own touch that you’d like to share. Email Linda at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). You can visit Linda on her web page at http://www.DinnerInMinutes.com.





THAI CHICKEN SALAD

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2 tablespoons Thai peanut sauce
3 tablespoons low-fat vinaigrette dressing
Several drops hot pepper sauce
3 cups shredded Chinese (Napa) cabbage
3/4 pound roasted or rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1/4 pound steamed Chinese noodles (about 3 cups cooked)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup red seedless grapes
1/2 cup drained, sliced, canned water chestnuts
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Note: Steamed Chinese noodles are fresh noodles found usually in the produce refrigerated case (Nasoya is one company that makes it kosher). Dried Chinese noodles or angel hair pasta can be used instead.

Boil water for noodles.

Mix peanut sauce, vinaigrette and hot pepper sauce together in a large bowl. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Add the cabbage, chicken and scallions to the sauce. Toss well.

Add noodles to boiling water and cook 2 to 3 minutes until they are soft. Drain leaving about 2 tablespoons cooking water in the saucepan. Return noodles to the pan. Toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Divide the noodles between 2 dinner plates.

Add the strawberries, grapes and water chestnuts to the chicken and cabbage. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and toss well. Spoon salad over noodles. Sprinkle the cilantro on top. Makes 2 servings.

Per serving: 591 calories (20 percent from fat), 13.3 g fat (2.1 g saturated, 2.1 g monounsaturated), 171 mg cholesterol, 49.0 g protein, 67.9 g carbohydrates, 4.9 g fiber, 568 mg sodium.