Winner winner, chicken dinner – but not like you’ve seen it before. This Thai inspired-dish which is quick, simple, cheap and low-fat – yet still feels special and is full of flavour. A great pre-dinner nibble or light lunch.
Winner winner, chicken dinner – but not like you’ve seen it before. This Thai inspired-dish which is quick, simple, cheap and low-fat – yet still feels special and is full of flavour. A great pre-dinner nibble or light lunch.
Typical nutritional content (per portion)
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
50g (2oz) caster sugar
3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
2 tablespoons chilli paste (from a jar or tube)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2.5cm (1in) piece root ginger, peeled and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
450g (1lb) free-range minced chicken or skinless chicken fillets, finely chopped
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, grated
100g (4oz) water chestnuts, finely chopped (from a can)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
2 little Gem lettuces (or use another crisp lettuce such as cos)
50g (2oz) roasted peanuts, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
4 lime wedges, to garnish
Whisk together the lime juice, sugar, fish sauce and chilli paste in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and stir fry for about 20 seconds until fragrant. Add the chicken and a little pepper, and stir fry for 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked through, breaking up any lumps with the back of a wooden spoon.
Stir the spring onions into the chicken mixture with the carrot and water chestnuts and allow to just warm through. Transfer the chicken mixture to a bowl and leave to cool. Stir in the lime juice dressing with the mint and coriander.
Strip any damaged leaves from the lettuce and then separate into leaves before washing and drying. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter and fill each with some of the chicken salad, then sprinkle the peanuts on top. Garnish with some coriander leaves and lime wedges to serve.