Poached chicken and bang bang salad

Prepare: less than 30 mins
Cook: 1 to 2 hours
Serve: Serves 4–6

This shredded chicken and noodle salad packs a real punch with two dressings – one creamy and nutty, the other spicy and tangy.

By Matt Tebbutt

From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

For the poached chicken

1 small whole chicken (about 1.25kg/2lb 12oz)
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 lemongrass sticks, smashed
2 star anise
1 tbsp black or white peppercorns
6 lime leaves
2 Thai red chillies
1 garlic bulb
2cm/¾in piece ginger, peeled and sliced
100ml/3½fl oz Thai fish sauce
2 tbsp coriander roots/stalks

For the peanut sauce

4 tbsp smooth peanut butter
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sriracha or other chilli sauce
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 lime, juice only
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp palm sugar
200ml/7fl oz warm chicken poaching liquor (see above)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad dressing

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp ginger paste
2 Thai red or green chillies, chopped
3–4 limes, juice only
6 tbsp Thai fish sauce
palm sugar, to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

300g/10½oz thick egg noodles
100g/3½oz beansprouts
100g/3½oz sugar-snap peas, sliced
¼ red or white cabbage, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
¼ Chinese cabbage, shredded
¼ cucumber, thinly sliced
1 bunch coriander, chopped, to serve
1 bunch mint, leaves picked, to serve
3 tbsp peanuts, toasted and chopped, to serve
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted, to serve

Method

To make the poached chicken, add all of the ingredients to an large pot with a lid and cover with water.
Bring to a simmer, skim off any impurities, and poach gently for 50 minutes–1 hour. Allow to cool in the stock.
To make the peanut sauce, mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
To make the salad dressing, mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper or dilute with a little water, if needed.
To make the salad, cook the noodles according to pack instructions. Drain and rinse in cold water until cool.
Toss in a bowl with all of the other salad ingredients and the salad dressing, then arrange on a serving platter.
Shred the chicken into pieces and toss in the peanut sauce. Scatter over the salad and finish with the coriander, mint, peanuts and sesame seeds.