Quick and Easy: Asian Rice Noodle and Chicken Salad with Peanuts

Associated Press

Rice noodles (or pad thai noodles) can quickly become a snappy salad with chicken and a lively dressing of ginger, chilies, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. This dish is from the August issue of Food & Wine.

• 8 ounces rice noodles (pad thai noodles)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh ginger
• 2 small Thai chilies, stemmed, seeded and chopped (or 1 jalapeno)
• 1 large scallion, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 roasted and shredded chicken breast (2 cups), skin and bones discarded
• 2 carrots, coarsely shredded
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, thinly sliced
• 2 large radishes, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup torn cilantro (Chinese parsley)
• 1/3 cup torn mint leaves
• Garnish: 1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped, and lime wedges

In boiling salted water, cook the rice noodles al dente, 6 to 7 minutes. Rinse under running water until cold. Pat dry with paper towels.

In a blender or food processor, combine the coarsely chopped ginger with the chilies, scallion pieces and smashed garlic; pulse until chopped. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar and process until smooth.

Put noodles in a large serving bowl. Add the chicken, carrots, cucumber, radishes, cilantro and mint and toss. Toss with dressing until evenly coated. Sprinkle with peanuts and serve with lime wedges. Makes 4 servings.