Hot, Sweet and Tangy Chicken Rice Noodle Salad

Spring definitely seems to have sprung and it's always a welcome relief to start thinking about salads and healthier fare!

This salad really hits the spot with lots of punchy flavours and very little fat.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 Large Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into bitesize pieces
For the Marinade

2 tbsp Sweet Hoisin Sauce

1 tbsp Soy Sauce

Juice of one Lime

1 tbsp Sunflower or Groundnut Oil

1 Large Garlic Clove, minced
For the dressing
Juice of one Orange
Juice of one Lime
1 Red Chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 Small Clove of Garlic, minced (I use a microplane)
1 tspn Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Sunflower or Groundnut Oil

Crispy Lettuce, shredded (you need a handful per person)
2 Spring Onions, thinly sliced
2 Oranges, peeled and segmented
150g Dry Rice Vermicelli Noodles

• Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together and pour over the chicken pieces.  Cover and put in the fridge for at least an hour to marinate, longer if you have time.
• Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together in a small bowl, set aside.
• Soak the rice noodles in boiling water for 4-5 minutes until soft, drain in a colander and rinse with cold water.
• Tip the cool noodles into a large bowl, add the shredded lettuce, most of the spring onion (reserving a bit for sprinkling at the end) and the orange segments then pour over the dressing and toss it all together.
• Put a large frying pan onto a high heat until hot then tip in all the chicken pieces with the marinade.  Turn the heat down to medium and sizzle the chicken, turning occasionally until brown all over.  After about 5 minutes the chicken will be almost done and the marinade will be starting to stick to the pan.  At this point add a slosh of water from the kettle to deglaze the pan, turn the heat back up to high and shake the pan around to amalgamate the water with the sticky juices.  When this has reduced to a dark syrup remove the pan from the heat.
• Divide the rice noodle salad between two large bowls and top with the hot chicken and any syrupy glaze.  Sprinkle with the remaining spring onion and serve.