Chilli-lime chicken salad
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:
- Cook: -
- plus marinating
- Easy
- Serves 4 - 6
Ingredients
For the marinade and dressing
- zest and juice 3 limes
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp soft light brown sugar
- 2 hot red chillies, thinly sliced (see tip, below)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp turmeric
- handful coriander stems, finely chopped
- 8 chicken leg or thigh pieces, skin on
For the salad
- bunch spring onion, shredded lengthways
- ½ cucumber, halved, deseeded and cut into long strips
- 200g baby tomato, halved
- handful coriander
- handful Thai basil leaves
- 2 ripe avocados, sliced
- handful toasted cashews or peanuts
Method
- STEP 1
Whisk together the lime zest and juice, fish sauce, sugar and chillies until the sugar dissolves. Pour 1/3 of this mix into a bowl, add the oil and set aside (this will be the dressing). Put the remainder into a large food bag with 1 tsp salt, the garlic, turmeric and coriander stems. Slash each piece of chicken down to the bone a few times, then add to the marinade and squish it around well in the bag. Chill for at least 2 hrs, or ideally up to 24 hrs.
- STEP 2
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 (if barbecuing, get the coals ready). Lift the chicken from the marinade and into a roasting tin. Roast for 30 mins until cooked through but not yet completely tender.
- STEP 3
If you’re barbecuing, transfer the chicken from its tin to a hot barbecue for 10 mins more, turning once crisp (otherwise continue roasting in the oven). Spread the spring onions, cucumber and tomatoes over a platter, add the chicken, then finish with the herbs, avocados, nuts and dressing.
