Thai minced chicken salad

30-60 minutes 400 kcal or less baby gem lettuce baby gem lettuces basil bbc good food beansprout beansprouts birds eye chillies chicken breast chicken breasts coriander cucumber cucumbers fish sauce lemongrass lime leaf lime leaves mains mint red chilli red chillies salad spicy

N/A

Serves 4 as a light meal or starter

Source

Ingredients

2 lemongrass

4 lime leaves , stalks removed

2 red chillies , deseeded

3 garlic cloves

fingertip-length piece fresh root ginger

4 skinless chicken breasts

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp chilli powder

50ml fish sauce

1 red onion , chopped

3 tbsp lime juice

handful each mint , basil and coriander leaves, roughly chopped

3 Baby Gem lettuces , leaves separated

1 cucumber , seeds removed and cut into strips lengthways

200g beansprouts

lime wedges, to serve

Method

Roughly chop the lemongrass, lime leaves, red chillies, garlic and ginger, then throw them all into a processor and blitz until everything is very finely chopped together. Mince the chicken breasts into tiny pieces.

Heat a wok over a high heat and add the vegetable oil and the sesame oil. Throw in the lemongrass mixture and fry briefly before adding the minced chicken and the chilli powder. Stir-fry the chicken for 4 mins then splash in the fish sauce. Turn down the heat a little and allow the chicken and fish sauce to bubble together for another 4 mins, stirring, then add the chopped red onion and cook for another min.

Remove from the heat, pour over the lime juice and toss in the herbs. Serve with the salad veg and a lime wedge on the side.