Thai Grilled Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 4 pièces Boneless chicken thighs (Remove excess skin and lightly flatten with a tenderizer for even cooking)
• 2.5 cuillères à soupe Palm sugar (Use palm sugar blocks stored in the fridge in an airtight jar)
• 3 cuillères à soupe Fish sauce (Thai fish sauce (nuoc mam))
• 2 cuillères à soupe Sticky rice (short-grain rice) (Toasted then ground to obtain toasted rice powder (regulon))
• 1 cuillère à café Dried chili flakes (Adjust according to desired spiciness)
• 3 tiges Chives (Cut into rounds about 2 cm)
• 1 poignée Fresh mint (Keep small leaves whole, cut larger ones in half or thirds)
• 1 poignée Fresh coriander (Coarsely chopped)
• 1 pièce Shallot (Finely slice)
• 1 pièce Lime (Juice of half a lime for the dressing, the rest for garnish)
• 1 cuillère à soupe Vegetable oil (For cooking the chicken)
• 4 feuilles Salad leaves (lettuce or mesclun) (For plating)
• ½ pièce Cucumber (Thinly sliced rounds for garnish)

Instructions

1. Prepare the marinating sauce

   In a small bowl, dissolve 1 ½ cuillère à soupe of palm sugar with 1 cuillère à soupe of fish sauce. Set aside.

   Time: PT5M

2. Prepare the chicken

   Remove excess skin from the thighs, lightly flatten the meat with a tenderizer to achieve uniform thickness. Brush the thighs with the marinating sauce, coat well, then cover and place in the refrigerator.

   Time: PT10M

3. Prepare the herbs and aromatics

   Finely slice the shallot, cut the chives into rounds, coarsely chop the coriander, keep the small mint leaves whole and cut the larger ones in half or thirds. Cut the lime in half, set aside the juice of half a lime.

   Time: PT10M

4. Toast the sticky rice

   In a small saucepan over medium heat, toast 2 cuillères à soupe of sticky rice until it turns golden brown (about 3‑4 minutes). Transfer to a mortar and grind into a fine powder (regulon).

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium heat

5. Grill the chicken

   Heat 1 cuillère à soupe of oil in the pan over medium heat. Place the thighs skin side (or skin‑less side) in the pan, lay a sheet of parchment paper on top and add a small saucepan of water to create gentle pressure. Cook 5‑6 minutes on each side until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through.

   Time: PT12M

   Temperature: medium heat

6. Prepare the dressing

   In the large salad bowl, combine 1 cuillère à soupe of palm sugar, 2 cuillères à soupe of fish sauce, the sliced shallots, chili flakes, juice of half a lime, and 1 cuillère à soupe of toasted rice powder. Dissolve well.

   Time: PT5M

7. Assemble the salad

   Slice the grilled chicken into large strips. Add the chicken, coriander, mint, chives, and salad leaves to the bowl containing the dressing. Toss gently to coat all ingredients.

   Time: PT5M

8. Plating

   Arrange the salad on plates, garnish with cucumber rounds and a few extra salad leaves. Serve with fragrant rice or sticky rice if desired.

   Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

12 g

Fiber

4 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Boneless chicken thighs: Chicken fillets
• Instead of Palm sugar: Brown sugar
• Instead of Fish sauce: Light soy sauce + a splash of lemon
• Instead of Sticky rice (short-grain rice): Ordinary toasted white rice
• Instead of Dried chili flakes: Finely chopped fresh chili
• Instead of Chives: Green onions
• Instead of Fresh mint: Thai basil
• Instead of Fresh coriander: Flat parsley
• Instead of Shallot: Red onion
• Instead of Lime: Lemon juice
• Instead of Vegetable oil: Peanut oil, sunflower oil
• Instead of Salad leaves (lettuce or mesclun): Young spinach
• Instead of Cucumber: Raw zucchini

Equipment Needed

• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Meat tenderizer (or rolling pin)
• Medium bowl
• Frying pan (or wok)
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Parchment paper (optional)
• Small saucepan for toasting rice
• Mortar and pestle or spice grinder
• Tongs or kitchen tongs
• Measuring spoons

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Marinate the chicken with the palm sugar + fish sauce mixture
• Flatten the chicken for even cooking
• Toast the sticky rice until dark brown color
• Cook the chicken with parchment paper and water pressure to prevent drying out

Chef Tips from the Video

• Lightly sprinkle lime zest to intensify the aroma
• Using slightly toasted sticky rice gives a uniquely crunchy texture

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the salad in an airtight container for 2‑3 days. Cooked chicken should be kept separately if you plan to reheat it.

Freezer: Grilled chicken can be frozen for 1‑2 months; fresh herbs do not freeze well.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Marinate the chicken the day before for deeper flavor
• Pre‑toast the rice and grind it in advance
• Pre‑store the herbs in a plastic bag in the fridge to keep them crisp