SWEET AND SOUR POACHED CHICKEN SALAD

This is now my new favourite salad!  It has everything you could ask for in a salad, sweetness, notes of sour, freshness, crunch, spice and so much amazing flavour.  And the best thing is you get all of this in every mouthful.  This is a great little dish for summer entertaining when it's hot outside.  YUM!

INGREDIENTS

DRESSING 

110 ml freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tsp tamarind paste

2 tbsp. caster sugar

1-2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 small red chilli, seeds removed, finely diced

SALAD

2-3 chicken breast fillets, depending on the size

½ medium pineapple, cored removed and sliced into thin batons

½ continental cucumber, sliced and seeds scrapped out and sliced on a diagonal

2 large fresh tomatoes, diced

½ cup mint leaves, roughly torn up

½ cup coriander leaves

½ cup chopped spring onions

OVER THE TOP

½ cup salty, roasted peanuts, chopped

½ cup deep fried shallots (available in the Asian section of most supermarkets)

2 long red chillies, sliced

METHOD

1.      To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake well until the sugar is dissolved.  Set aside.

2.      For the poached chicken, cover the chicken with water in a small saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes, then allow to rest for another 20.  Strain the chicken and shred.

3.      Combine all the salad ingredients in a good sized salad bowl and toss to combine.  Remove the garlic form the dressing and pour over salad and gently toss to coat the ingredients. 

4.      To serve sprinkle the salad with peanuts, chilli and deep fried shallots.