This lemongrass chicken noodle salad is the perfect dish for weeknights. It’s packed with chicken that is marinated in a tasty lemongrass and coconut sauce, low-carb tofu shirataki noodles, and crisp vegetables. It’s a great light meal for summer!
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Chicken and Marinade
- 2 stalks lemongrass
- 1/2 cup (120ml) light coconut milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 pound (450g) chicken breast
- kosher salt
Salad
- 3 8-ounce packages of House Foods fettuccine tofu shirataki, drained and rinsed
- 3 small carrots, peeled and cut to matchsticks
- 1 1/4 cups sliced cucumbers
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onions (about 1/4 of a medium onion)
- 1 stalk of scallions, sliced
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- pinch of salt
Optional Toppings
- chopped roasted peanuts
- cilantro
- red pepper flakes
INSTRUCTIONS
- Chop off the bottom end of the lemongrass stalk. Peel off a few of the outer leaves (about 2 or 3) to reveal the fleshier part of the lemongrass. Chop off the green, woodier part of the lemongrass. Using a microplane zester/grater, grate lemongrass, starting from the bottom of the stalk.
- Blend lemongrass, coconut milk, fish sauce, 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, and ginger. I like using an immersion blender for this. Set aside.
- Slice chicken breasts into smaller chunks. I like slicing a breast in half, and then take the thicker half and slicing that into 2 thinner slices. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken chunks with a bit of kosher salt. Place chunks in a sealable plastic bag and pour marinade inside. Shake bag so that the marinade covers all chicken pieces. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- While chicken is marinating, prep noodles. Fill a small pot or saucepan with water, about several inches, and bring to boil. Cook noodles for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain water and run under cold water. Pour noodles into a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of fish sauce, juice of 1 lime, sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, and a pinch of salt. Stir ingredients together and adjust seasonings to your taste.
- To cook chicken, drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil on a sauté pan and heat over medium-high heat. Shake excess marinade off chicken chunks before placing in the pan. Cook each side for about 4 minutes, until they’re cooked through. Dish onto a plate and let chicken rest for a few minutes before cutting them up. I shredded the chicken, but you can also slice them into 1/2-inch strips.
- Toss noodles, sliced carrots, cucumbers, red onion, scallions, and chicken together. Serve noodle salad with chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro, and red pepper flakes, if you like.
NOTES
Substitutions: For richer tasting chicken, you can use full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream. You can also substitute fish sauce with tamari or soy sauce.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Yields 4 servings. Amount per serving: Calories: 287, Total Fat 13g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 1344mg, Cholesterol: 73mg, Total Carbohydrate: 12g, Dietary Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Protein 29g