Crispy fish sauce chicken noodles with peanut dressing

This fresh, crunchy noodle salad is topped with crispy chicken thighs and an irresistible peanut sauce – quick, nutritious and super easy, this is one to add to your midweek meal rotation.

Each serving provides 727 kcals, 43g protein, 70g carbohydrates (of which 9.8g sug-ars), 30g fat (of which 7.1g saturates), 4.4g fibre and 4.2g salt.

Ingredients
For the chicken
5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp reduced salt soy sauce
1kg/2lb 4oz chicken thighs, skin-on, bones removed (approx. 675g/1lb 8oz after bones removed)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the noodles
300g/10½oz rice vermicelli noodles
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 carrots, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
1 head lettuce, roughly torn or chopped
150g/5½oz sugar snap peas, sliced
5 spring onions, thinly sliced
small bunch mint, leaves roughly chopped
1 red chilli, thinly sliced
For the dressing
3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp honey
1 red chilli, finely chopped
200ml/7fl oz warm water
To serve
lime wedges

Method
Start by marinating the chicken. Combine the garlic, fish sauce and soy sauce in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces and give everything a good mix. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, soak the noodles following packet instructions, gently pulling them apart as they soak. Drain the noodles and toss with the sesame oil to stop them sticking together.

To cook the chicken, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a low–medium heat. Add the chicken thighs (and their mariande) skin-side down, and cook for 7–8 minutes until the skin is crisp. Flip the chicken, cook for a further 3–4 minutes, then remove from the pan and transfer to a warm plate to rest. You can cut the chicken into slices to serve, or leave whole.

Drain some of the excess fat from the pan and return to the heat. Add all of the dressing ingredients and whisk together. Cook gently for 3–4 minutes until the peanut butter has melted to create a glossy sauce.

Pile the noodles onto a large serving platter, then top with the carrots, lettuce, sugar snap peas and spring onions. Lay the crispy chicken on the noodles and top with the mint, sliced chilli and peanut sauce. Serve with lime wedges.

Source: BBC