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Gingered chicken salad with mango and rice noodles

Paleo-Friendly, Gluten Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free

4 Servings, 660 Calories/Serving

25 – 35 Minutes

There are ordinary chicken salads, and then there is our paleo-friendly and gluten-free version, packed with Southeast Asian flavors.

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Ingredients

  • 5 ounces flat rice noodles*
  • 2 limes
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 4 chicken cutlets (about ¼ pound each)
  • 1-inch piece fresh ginger
  • Dressing base (fish sauce - coconut vinegar - coconut sugar)
  • 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (optional)
  • 2 romaine hearts
  • 2 mangoes
  • ⅓ cup roasted cashews
  • 5 ounces cherry tomatoes
  • 3 or 4 sprigs fresh basil
  • 3 or 4 sprigs fresh cilantro
  • *Not paleo; omit for a paleo-strict version.

Ingredient IQ

Fish sauce is made by packing anchovies in salt and letting them ferment, creating a delicious funky flavor. It’s used much like soy sauce, as a salt-like seasoning. The ancient Romans had a version called garum.

Instructions

1

Soak the rice noodles

  • Set the rice noodles in a large heatproof bowl.
In a medium sauce pot, bring 1½ quarts water to a boil. Pour the boiling water over the rice noodles and let soak until just tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Drain the noodles and rinse them under cold water; return them to the bowl and toss with 1 to 2 teaspoons oil to prevent sticking. Do not clean the pot.
While the water heats and the noodles soak, prepare the limes and chicken.

2

Prep the limes and poach the chicken

  • Juice 1 lime.
  • Cut the remaining lime into wedges for garnish.
In the same pot used for the noodles, combine the coconut milk, lime juice, and 1 cup water; season with salt and sugar, if using, and bring to a boil. Carefully lower the chicken into the boiling liquid and cook until opaque and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer to a plate to cool, then using a fork, shred the chicken.
While the chicken cooks and cools, prepare the ginger dressing and remaining salad ingredients.

3

Make the ginger dressing

  • Grate or peel and finely chop enough ginger to measure 1 teaspoon.
In a small bowl, stir together the dressing base, ginger, and as much sambal oelek as you like. Season to taste with salt.

4

Prep the remaining salad ingredients

  • Trim the root end from each romaine heart.
  • Coarsely tear the romaine leaves.
  • Trim off the top and bottom of each mango; cut away the peel, then cut the flesh into two halves away from the pit. Cut each half in half lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.
  • Coarsely chop the cashews.
  • Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
  • Strip the basil leaves from the stems; coarsely tear the leaves.
  • Coarsely chop the cilantro.

5

Toss the salad

In a large bowl, combine the romaine, mangoes, cashews, tomatoes, basil, cilantro, and chicken. Add half the ginger dressing and 2 to 3 teaspoons oil and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and more dressing, if needed.

6

Serve

For any paleo diners, transfer their portion of the chicken salad to individual bowls. Add the rice noodles to the remaining chicken salad, toss to combine, and transfer to individual bowls. Serve the lime wedges and the remaining dressing on the side.

Kids Can!

  • Juice the lime.
  • Stir the ginger dressing.
  • Tear the romaine leaves.
  • Strip and tear the basil leaves.
  • Toss the salad.

Nutrition per serving: Protein: 35g (70% DV), Fiber: 5g (20% DV), Total Fat: 35g (54% DV), Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 14g (70% DV), Cholesterol: 65mg (22% DV), Sodium: 1050mg (44% DV), Carbohydrates: 58g (19% DV), Total Sugars: 27g, Added Sugars (Coconut sugar): 2g (4% DV). Not a significant source of trans fat.
Contains: Fish, tree nuts.

Paleo-strict nutrition per serving: Calories: 470, Protein: 35g (70% DV), Fiber: 5g (20% DV), Total Fat: 35g (54% DV), Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 14g (70% DV), Cholesterol: 65mg (22% DV), Sodium: 1050mg (44% DV), Carbohydrates: 58g (19% DV), Total Sugars: 27g, Added Sugars (Coconut sugar): 2g (4% DV). Not a significant source of trans fat.
Contains: Fish, tree nuts.

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