Healthy Sweet Chilli Chicken Noodle Salad

This sweet chilli chicken salad is one of my go to lunches when I need a quick healthy lunch and it never disappoints. The salad includes fine noodles, baby spinach, julienne carrots and sliced red peppers. The salad is then drizzled with a lime dressing that complements the sweet chilli. It is ideal for lunch or a light dinner and is highly nutritious. The salad is also dairy free and low in calories which makes it ideal if you’re following a calorie-controlled diet. This meal is high in protein which should help to keep you full for longer.

Ingredients for Sweet Chilli Chicken Noodle Salad

Sweet Chilli Marinade

• 4 red chillies
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 piece of fresh ginger
• 40ml white wine vinegar
• 45g brown sugar

Chicken

• 300g raw chicken breast or mini chicken breast fillets
• 1 teaspoon garlic granules
• 1 teaspoon onion granules

Noodle salad

• 60g egg noodles (dry weight)
• 80g baby spinach
• 50g red bell peppers
• 50g carrots

Lime dressing

• 3 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

How to Make Sweet Chilli Chicken Noodle Salad

Make the sweet chilli sauce

1. To a blender, add the chopped chillies, garlic, ginger and white wine vinegar. Blend the ingredients together and then pour the mixture into a saucepan with the brown sugar. On a low heat let the mixture simmer until the sauce becomes syrupy. Turn the heat off and allow to cool.

Prepare the chicken

2. If using fillets, slice the chicken breasts into strips then add the garlic granules and onion granules and stir until combined and fully covering the chicken. Pour the sweet chilli sauce onto the chicken and continue to stir until the chicken is fully covered in the sauce then refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Cook the chicken

3. Preheat the oven to gas mark 6/400^oF/200^oC. Place the chicken onto a baking tray and bake the chicken for 15 - 20 minute or until thoroughly cooked through. While the chicken is in the oven, fill a pot with water and bring to a boil on a high heat. Once the water is boiling add the noodles and cook according to instructions. (usually around 4 minutes). Strain the noodles and set aside to cool.

Make the salad

4. While the chicken and noodles are both cooling, you can prepare the salad. Wash and chop the baby spinach. Slice the red bell peppers and thinly slice the carrots into thin strips (you can use a julienne peeler).

Assemble the salad

5. Time to put the salad together. To a pasta bowl add the noodles and lay the spinach on top. Add the red bell peppers and carrots then arrange the sweet chilli chicken in the bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and pour a tablespoon full over the salad and enjoy.

Recipe Tips

• This recipe includes the sweet chilli marinade but you can use ready prepared sweet chilli sauce if you have it to hand.
• You can buy sweet chilli chicken strips already prepared and just prepare the noodle salad.
• You can prepare the sweet chilli sauce and marinade the chicken in advance. This will enhance the flavour of the chicken. The longer the chicken is left to marinade, the stronger the flavours will be.
• The chicken breasts can be replaced with skinless chicken thighs if preferred.

Nutrition

Calories	Fat	Saturates	Carbs
426kcal	7.6g	1.4g	46.2g
Sugars	Fibre	Protein	Salt
24.5g	4.0g	41.8g	0.57g

Storage

This salad can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours

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• Healthy Lemon Chicken Salad with Roasted Peppers
• Healthy Quick Red Lentil Pasta Salad
• Simple Avocado Salad with Lemon Dressing