Thai chicken, herb and cashew salad

Sydney Swans’ Team Chef Courtney Roulston dishes up a dinner fit for a sporting hero.

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 15 mins

Serves: 4–6

Ingredients

• 2 cups cellophane (glass) noodles
• 2 x 200g lean chicken breast, trimmed
• 1 tbs oil
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup unsalted roasted cashews, roughly chopped
• 1 Lebanese cucumber, de-seeded and sliced
• 1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 spring onions, fi nely sliced
• 1 bunch coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 bunch Thai basil, leaves picked

Dressing

• 2 limes, juiced
• 2 tbs fish sauce
• 1 tbs brown sugar
• 1 red chilli, finely sliced
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Method

1. Soak the noodles in hot water according to the packet directions, then drain and set aside.
2. Heat a non-stick frypan over a medium heat.
3. Combine the chicken, oil, garlic and pepper in a bowl and toss to coat evenly.
4. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes each side, or until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken from the heat and set aside to rest. (It will continue to cook and become tender as it rests.)
5. Meanwhile, combine the drained noodles, cashews, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, spring-onions, coriander and Thai basil in a large bowl.
6. Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a separate bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad. Slice the chicken into thin strips and gently fold through the salad.
7. Serve immediately.