CHILLED PEANUT CHICKEN NOODLE SALAD
SERVES 4
ACTIVE TIME 25 minutes TOTAL TIME 35 minutes



PERSIAN CUKES
have a thin skin and a delicate flavor. Because their skins are so thin, you don't have to peel them, and they're almost seedless, so you don't need to seed them either. If you can't find them, use a regular cucumber instead, and peel and seed it.

CHILLED PEANUT CHICKEN NOODLE SALAD

Poaching chicken in a peanut butter broth brings nuttiness into each bite. The flavorful poaching liquid then becomes the base for the dressing in this light, easy noodle salad.

Kosher salt
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1  large boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 12 ounces), sliced crosswise 1/4* inch thick
!/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Sriracha, or more as needed
4 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
6 ounces thin rice noodles (vermicelli)
1  romaine heart, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
2  Persian cucumbers or 1 regular cucumber, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup loosely packed roughly chopped fresh cilantro (from about 1 medium bunch)
Lime wedges, for serving

START THE WATER: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

POACH THE CHICKEN:
Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a simmer in a medium skillet.
Whisk in the peanut butter, then add the chicken.
Cook over medium-low heat at a bare simmer until just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to a plate;
continue to simmer the sauce until thickened and reduced by about half, about 5 minutes.
Take off the heat and whisk in the vinegar, soy sauce, Sriracha, and scallions.
Cool slightly.

COOK THE NOODLES:
Add the rice noodles to the boiling water and cook until almost tender, about 3 minutes.
Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
Drain the noodles very well, tossing with tongs to release as much water as possible.
Snip the noodles with scissors a few times to cut the long strands.

TOSS THE SALAD:
Toss the noodles with the romaine, cucumbers, bell pepper, half of the cilantro,
and just enough dressing to coat.
Season with salt.
Divide among 4 bowls and top with the chicken.
Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top and garnish with the remaining cilantro.
Serve with lime wedges.

MAKE IT A SOUP
Convert this salad into an ASIAN-STYLE soup topped with greens and fresh veggies.
Add 4 cups of chicken broth and an extra cup of water to the chicken poaching liquid
and bring to a simmer before adding the chicken, red bell pepper, soy sauce, and Sriracha
(skip the rice vinegar).
Add the cooked rice noodles and scallions to the soup and
serve in bowls topped with the lettuce, cucumber, cilantro, and lime.

34      THE   CHOPPED   COOKBOOK