Tropical Chicken Salad

This is one of my favorite summer salads. It’s light and fresh tasting; all that a salad should be when it’s hot outside. In case you’re wondering, Lebanese cucumbers have thinner skins than other varieties, the seeds are tiny and can be a little sweeter in taste. Coriander is one of the world’s oldest spices. It is native to the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions and has been known in Asian countries for thousands of years.

Serves 4

2 large skinless chicken breast fillets
1 Lebanese cucumber, diced
1/2 cup diced fresh or unsweetened canned pineapple
1 cup diced rock melon, mango or papaya
1/4 cup unsalted cashews
2 green onions sliced diagonally
2 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

Chili and Lime Dressing

1 fresh red chili, deseeded and thinly sliced
zest of 1 lime finely grated
juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar

Cook chicken on barbecue grill 4-5 minutes each side or until cooked through. Alternatively, place chicken in frying pan, pour water over to cover. Cover and simmer. Poach for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Cut into thin strips. Place chicken, cucumber, mango, cashews, green onions, coriander and mint into a bowl. Toss to combine.

Dressing: Place all dressing ingredients in a screw top jar and shake to combine. Pour over salad and toss. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving as this allows the flavors to develop.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: Don’t let the salad sit longer than 30 minutes otherwise the acid from the lime juice will start to cook the chicken and turn it into mush. Adjust the sweetness of the dressing to your liking. I found that the limes were quite strong in flavor and ended up putting in 1 tablespoon of sugar just to take the sharpness out.