Rice Noodle Salad with Vietnamese Grilled Lemongrass Chicken

Layer the sliced Vietnamese grilled chicken over a bed of spring salad greens, rice noodles, fresh tomatoes and for added richness, a perfectly boiled egg. This rice noodle salad is not only beautiful to look at, but is protein packed as well and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve eaten it this month alone. This rice noodle salad with Vietnamese grilled lemongrass chicken will be your new favorite summer dinner. And may I suggest, skewering the chicken and serving in lettuce cups with sriracha for a fun hands on dish.

Ingredients

Vinaigrette
2 garlic cloves grated
2 tsp grated ginger or about 1 inch of ginger
1/2 jalapeno or Fresno chopped finely
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 whole lime zested and juiced
2-3 tsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp - 1 tsp fish sauce
1/2 cup grape-seed or other neutral oil
Pickled Vegetables
¼ c Rice vinegar
2 tbsp. sugar
½ c Water
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup of carrots cut into matchsticks about 2 carrots
1/2 cup radish cut into matchsticks about 2 radishes
½ cucumber peeled and cut into matchsticks
1/2 jalapeno or Fresno sliced thin (optional, for added heat)
Lemongrass Chicken
1 large stalk of lemongrass outer leaves removed and chopped
1 Garlic clove roughly chopped
1/2 inch piece ginger peeled and roughly chopped
2 tbsp Soy sauce
1 tsp Fish sauce
2 tbsp Brown sugar
1 tsp. sriracha
1 tbsp. grape seed or other neutral oil
2-3 skinless boneless chicken thighs

Salad:

1 package of cooked rice noodles
Spring salad greens or favorite salad mix
Hard boiled eggs
Cherry tomatoes
Fresh mint
Fresh basil

Instructions

First make the vinaigrette by whisking all the ingredients in a bowl or shaking in a mason jar. Taste for seasoning and set aside.
Make the pickled vegetables by whisking together the rice vinegar, sugar, water and salt and add vegetables to mixture. Toss to coat and set aside.
For the lemongrass chicken, add chopped lemongrass, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, sriracha and oil to a small food processor and blend until smooth. There may be a few larger pieces but that's OK as it all cooks off.
Add the marinade to the chicken thighs and toss to coat.
While chicken is marinating, preheat indoor or outdoor grill on high heat and cook chicken for about 4-5 minutes per side and until you have good grill marks.
Slice chicken into 1/2 inch slices and arrange on a platter with salad greens, cooked rice noodles, pickled vegetables, tomatoes, boiled egg and fresh herbs and drizzle vinaigrette all over.