It’s not just for summer though. It’s great any time you want a refreshing noodle salad. Light. Bright. Vibrant. Make it any time you can get to your grill. I have a thing for rice noodles. Use them a lot. But one of my favourites is cool noodles with warm chicken. Or pork. Mix in a little basil and some mint and I’m happy. So I’m always looking for new ways to enjoy them. Mix it up a bit. Thai chicken salad fits the bill. Easy and so tasty.
Thai lime dressing makes this different
This recipe is a little different from the more traditional Vietnamese bun. It’s not that far off. But instead of salty sweet nuoc cham this noodle salad gets a big blast of flavour from herbs. And lime. Lots of lime. Fish sauce is the perfect counterpoint. Balances things out. Salty against sour. Super savoury. It’s great with chicken even if you aren’t in the mood for Thai chicken salad. Just grill up some chicken and toss it in the dressing. Or use it with wings. Mmm… Wings.
Thai chicken salad is great food fast
This is a dish for when you are short on time but want to eat well. Not much to it really. Prep your noodles. Grill some chicken. Make the dressing. Toss it all together. Eat. Maybe a little harder than picking up the phone. Sure. But sometimes that little extra bit of effort is worth it. For me anyway. And it makes a great lunch. So make extra. Just make sure you don’t overcook your chicken. White meat dries out in a hurry. This is one of those times you should pull out your instant read thermometer. Grill it over medium high heat. And check the temperature. When it hits around 160F pull it from the grill. Let it rest for a few minutes. Then slice it and toss it in the dressing.
Don’t boil your rice noodles for any Thai noodle salad
Seriously. Never boil rice vermicelli. That’s the thin stuff. It’s a bad idea. The flat rice stick. OK. Sometimes. It depends what you’re making. But not rice vermicelli. Unless you like mush. All you need to do is pour lots of boiling water over it. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so. Done. Do that a your grill heats up. While you cook the chicken. After 10 minutes just strain and rinse in cold water. Perfect every time. This just works. Not just for Thai chicken salad. For Vietnamese bun. For any dish really. Great food doesn’t have to be hard to make. Doesn’t have to take hours. Sometimes it can be easy. This is one of those times. Make Thai chicken salad. Just do it. You won’t be sorry.
