Chicken and turkey are popular for being high in protein and low in saturated fats making a mealtime staple for athletes as well as in many healthy eating households. Falling back on the same old recipes starts to become mundane and a little too routine.
Chicken and turkey are popular for being high in protein and low in saturated fats making a mealtime staple for athletes as well as in many healthy eating households. Falling back on the same old recipes starts to become mundane and a little too routine. Finding new ways to cook up the standard bird and keep it interesting (and keep your taste buds dancing) is time-consuming but in this series of recipes, I will highlight many different ways to prepare your poultry so your meal rotation is anything but boring. So whaddya say? Let’s play chicken!
Chiang Mai chicken is a dish that originated in Laos and is commonly served in the area and throughout Thailand. The original version is typically marinated and prepared spatchcoked or cut into pieces and cooked over a charcoal grill.
In this simplified version, I’ve kept the intensity of flavors but used ground chicken to create a chicken salad feel to the dish that is incredibly fast to make. This dish comes together in about 20 minutes and tastes great served warm or cold. Serve Chiang Mai chicken salad dished up in lettuce wraps or over lettuce leaves to make an awesome easy lunch. For a creamy variation, stir in a little plain Greek yogurt until it’s the consistency of chicken salad.
Chiang Mai Chicken Salad
Calories 314, Protein 38g, Carbs 37g, Fat 2g
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
- 1 pound lean ground chicken or turkey
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped lemongrass (or use lemongrass paste)
- 3 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
- 2 red chili peppers, seeded and finely diced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 12 mint leaves, chopped
- 8 (or more) lettuce leaves for serving as wraps
Preparation Instructions:
- In a sauté pan, cook chicken with the lemongrass, lime leaves, and chili peppers until cooked through.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in remaining ingredients until combined.
- Serve warm or cold in a lettuce wrap or over lettuce leaves.
Note: Also delicious as a creamy chicken salad with the addition of plain unsweetened Greek yogurt. Just add yogurt until you reach the desired consistency.
