Sticky Sesame and Sriracha Chicken with Chopped Salad

The rise in popularity of sriracha sauce, a spicy hot sauce from Southeast Asia, is universal. Bottles of this tangy sweet substance are no longer just a staple of Thai streetfood stalls, and can be found in supermarkets everywhere. It can be added to noodles and stir fries for a fiery kick or, as in this sticky chicken dish, to a crunchy salad.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp vegetable oil

• 4–8 skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces

• 5 tbsps sriracha sauce

• Thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, peeled and very finely chopped

• Zest and juice of 1 lime

• 1 tbsp honey

• 2 tsps light soy sauce

• 1 tsp sesame oil

Fresh by Donal Skehan

For the salad:

• 1/2 head red cabbage, finely sliced

• 5 oz kale (about 1/3 bunch), leaves torn from stem and finely sliced

• 2 carrots, julienned

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into thin slices

• 1 yellow bell pepper, deseeded and cut into into thin slices

• 1 cup frozen edamame beans, thawed

• Handful of cashews, toasted

• 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

• Large handful of cilantro

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a wok or a large frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the chicken pieces until just browned on all sides. Add the sriracha sauce, ginger, lime zest, half the lime juice, honey, soy sauce, and sesame oil, and toss to coat. Cover and simmer for 8 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly and the chicken is completely cooked through.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the salad. Place the red cabbage, kale, and carrots in a large mixing bowl with the remaining lime juice and sesame oil. Massage the kale until it becomes tender, and then mix in the remaining salad ingredients.

3. Serve the sriracha chicken with the salad, and garnish with the sesame seeds and cilantro.

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Reprinted with permission from Fresh © 2017 by Donal Skehan, Sterling Epicure. Food photo by Donal Skehan.