Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad with Sweet Chili Vinaigrette

You know what really chaps my hide? What really cooks my grits? What really burns my butter?

Yoga without music.

Don’t get me wrong, I love yoga. It is my escape. But it is NOT easy. You push your body’s flexibility, strength and balance boundaries. It is exhausting. And the only thing that gets me through is a rocking play list.

But not today! Today I rocked out to the sounds of other people’s bodies cracking, their heavy breathing and sweat.

The worst part is that you don’t know it is happening till it’s too late. In the beginning of the hour-long class, we start out with stretching with out music. It wasn’t until about seven minutes into class that I realized I was screwed. And by then, it was too late for me to escape.

Fifty-three more minutes of awkward yoga noises.

I had to come home tonight and make something to bring back my yoga Zen. And this tasty salad did just that.

 

You will need…

For the Salad:

5 chicken breast tenders

1 small napa cabbage, chopped

½ small red cabbage, chopped

6 green onions, chopped

1 large cucumber, quartered and sliced (you can peel if you like but I like the peel)

1 cup grated carrots (you can buy them already grated in a bag)

2/3 cup fresh cilantro

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2/3 cup chopped peanuts

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Vinaigrette:

½ cup sweet chili sauce

¼ cup rice vinegar

¼ cup light coconut milk

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon, ginger

1 lime, juiced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Start by heating a grill pan or your outdoor grill to a medium heat.

Season your chicken well with salt and pepper and when the grill is hot, lightly place the chicken onto the grill and grill for about 5 minutes a side.

When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the heat and let it cool.

While the chicken is cooling, combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a mason jar or small bowl.

Whisk or shake the mixture well until it is completely combined.

By now, the chicken should have cooked enough to handle.

Use 2 forks to pull apart your chicken into little shredded pieces.

Combine the cabbage, carrots, green onions, cucumbers, cilantro and bell pepper together in a large bowl.

Top the salad with the shredded chicken and peanuts.

Drizzle with the vinaigrette.

Toss and serve.

Namaste

Angela  

Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad with Sweet Chili Vinaigrette

For the Salad:

5 chicken breast tenders

1 small napa cabbage, chopped

½ small red cabbage, chopped

6 green onions, chopped

1 large cucumber, quartered and sliced (you can peel if you like but I like the peel)

1 cup grated carrots (you can buy them already grated in a bag)

2/3 cup fresh cilantro

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2/3 cup chopped peanuts

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Vinaigrette:

½ cup sweet chili sauce

¼ cup rice vinegar

¼ cup light coconut milk

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon, ginger

1 lime, juiced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Start by heating a grill pan or your outdoor grill to a medium heat.

Season your chicken well with salt and pepper and when the grill is hot, lightly place the chicken onto the grill and grill for about 5 minutes a side.

When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the heat and let it cool.

While the chicken is cooling, combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a mason jar or small bowl.

Whisk or shake the mixture well until it is completely combined.

By now, the chicken should have cooked enough to handle.

Use 2 forks to pull apart your chicken into little shredded pieces.

Combine the cabbage, carrots, green onions, cucumbers, cilantro and bell pepper together in a large bowl.

Top the salad with the shredded chicken and peanuts.

Drizzle with the vinaigrette.

Toss and serve. 

Thai Coconut Shrimp

Do the hump. Do the humpty hump. Happy hump day everyone!

After what felt like a really short weekend, I’m dying for the next break. It didn’t help that I thought this weekend coming up was Memorial Day weekend.

Guess what, it’s not.

But we are halfway there.

And I have a yummy little dish to help you get through the rest of this work week.

You will need…

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 red bell pepper, sliced

6 green onions, chopped and white and green parts separated

1 cup cilantro, divided in half

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

3 tomatoes, diced

1 14 oz can coconut milk (I accidentally purchased low fat, but I recommend the regular)

Juice of 1lime

Salt to taste

Start by heating the oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan.

Add in the red peppers and cook them until soft and slightly brown. About 6 minutes.

When the peppers are slightly browned, add in the green onion whites, ½ cup cilantro, the red pepper flakes and the garlic.

Cook until the garlic is aromatic. About 1 minute.

Add in the tomatoes, the coconut milk and season with salt.

Mix everything well, cover and simmer on low for about 10 minutes. Until the sauce starts to thicken.

When the sauce thickens a bit, add in the shrimp and cook until the shrimp is pink. About 5 minutes.

Add in the lime juice, the green onion greens and the remaining cilantro.

Combine well and serve plain or over rice.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Thai Coconut Shrimp

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 red bell pepper, sliced

6 green onions, chopped and white and green parts separated

1 cup cilantro, divided in half

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

3 tomatoes, diced

1 14 oz can coconut milk (I accidentally purchased low fat, but I recommend the regular)

Juice of 1lime

Salt to taste

Start by heating the oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan.

Add in the red peppers and cook them until soft and slightly brown. About 6 minutes.

When the peppers are slightly browned, add in the green onion whites, ½ cup cilantro, the red pepper flakes and the garlic.

Cook until the garlic is aromatic. About 1 minute.

Add in the tomatoes, the coconut milk and season with salt.

Mix everything well, cover and simmer on low for about 10 minutes. Until the sauce starts to thicken.

When the sauce thickens a bit, add in the shrimp and cook until the shrimp is pink. About 5 minutes.

Add in the lime juice, the green onion greens and the remaining cilantro.

Combine well and serve plain or over rice.

Coconut Shrimp Soup

Hold on. Hold on.

I know what you are thinking.

This sounds gross.

But just think about those delicious little coconut shrimps you’ve had in the past. You know the fried ones. Usually with some sort of tangy and tropical dipping sauce. Perhaps accompanied by a drink with an umbrella in it?

It’s pretty much like that in soup form.

I have been toying with the idea of making this for a while now since lately I have been loving me some Asian flavors. And man was I not disappointed.

This little guy is like a whole meal in one tasty little package.

Noodles? Good. Shrimp? Good. Veggies? GOOOOOOODDDDDDDD!

Honestly? There is nothing here that isn’t rocking.

And just look how pretty it is. How can you say no to something so beautiful?

You will need…

2 tablespoon sesame oil, divided (if you don’t have sesame you could use vegetable or olive oil)

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 pound carrots (6-8 medium carrots) grated

1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk

4 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 ounces angel hair pasta (I used whole wheat)

1 ½ pounds shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed

¼ cup fresh lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

4 green onions, chopped for garnish

Start by heating the 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.

Add the ginger, garlic and the red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often until it is fragrant. About 1 minute.

Add the carrots, coconut milk and chicken stock.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water until smooth and then add it to the pot.

Bring the soup to a boil.

While you are waiting for the soup to boil, heat the remaining oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.

When the oil is hot, add the shrimp. 

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and cook until the shrimp is pink. About 1 minute on each side. When the shrimp is cooked, remove it from the heat and set aside.

As soon as the soup boils, break the pasta in half and add it to the pot. Return the soup to a boil and reduce the heat to medium and simmer the soup until the pasta is al dente and the carrots are tender. About 5 minutes.

Add in the shrimp and continue to simmer for 2 minutes.

Stir in the lime juice, taste and add salt if needed.

Ladle into serving bowls and garnish it with the green onions.

Serve immediately.

Prepare to be amazed.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Coconut Shrimp Soup

2 tablespoon sesame oil, divided (if you don’t have sesame you could use vegetable or olive oil)

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 pound carrots (6-8 medium carrots) grated

1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk

4 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 ounces angel hair pasta (I used whole wheat)

1 ½ pounds shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed

¼ cup fresh lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

4 green onions, chopped for garnish

Start by heating the 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.

Add the ginger, garlic and the red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often until it is fragrant. About 1 minute.

Add the carrots, coconut milk and chicken stock.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water until smooth and then add it to the pot.

Bring the soup to a boil.

While you are waiting for the soup to boil, heat the remaining oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.

When the oil is hot, add the shrimp. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and cook until the shrimp is pink. About 1 minute on each side. When the shrimp is cooked, remove it from the heat and set aside.

As soon as the soup boils, break the pasta in half and add it to the pot. Return the soup to a boil and reduce the heat to medium and simmer the soup until the pasta is al dente and the carrots are tender. About 5 minutes.

Add in the shrimp and continue to simmer for 2 minutes.

Stir in the lime juice, taste and add salt if needed.

Ladle into serving bowls and garnish it with the green onions.

Serve immediately.