Asian Chicken and Coconut Curry Noodle Salad

You all know how much I LOVE the blog Cafe Sucre Farine.....her recipes, her photos, her salad dressings!!! This woman is amazing - everything I have made from her blog, I have LOVED!  This salad is no exception....it was downright delicious! My husband probably said so at least five times while we were eating!  The salad dressing IS TO DIE FOR!!!! Oh mercy me, it is incredible!! I made this salad for just myself and my husband as our main course. There was plenty of dressing to marinate the chicken for my husband, the tofu for myself and then also enough to top a salad for tomorrow night's dinner. Please notice I used dried spices instead of fresh - that was out of pure laziness on my part (sorry guys, it is just a regular Wednesday night after all). Next time I'll grate the ginger and mince the onion and garlic because I know it'll make the dressing even tastier! 

I really really recommend you mosey on over to the Cafe Sucre Farine blog and check out her culinary genius for yourself.

And for now, here is her recipe word for word:

Ingredients:

Ingredients for the coconut curry noodles:

• ¾ cup light coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon green curry paste
• 8 ounces angel hair pasta
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt, to taste

Ingredients for the salad:

• 6 cups Bib or butter lettuce <I used 2 heads of romaine lettuce>
• diced cooked chicken breast <I used chicken for my husband and roasted marinated tofu for myself>
• 2 large ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and diced <I only used one>
• 3 medium nectarines, diced <I only used one>
• ½ cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
• fresh basil leaves, chopped
• Asian Honey-Sesame Salad Dressing (see ingredients and recipe below)

Asian Honey-Sesame Salad Dressing:

• 2 medium cloves garlic, finely minced <I used 1 tsp garlic powder>
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped or grated fresh ginger <I used 1 tsp dried ginger>
• 1 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped <I used 1 tsp onion powder>
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha
• 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoon poppy seeds
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoons sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper

**Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake well. That’s it!

Directions for Salad:

1. Combine coconut milk and curry paste in a medium size pot. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until reduced by one half. Set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt and angel hair pasta. Stirring frequently, cook for 3-4 minutes or until noodles are al dente.
3. Once noodles are cooked, drain well and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss with 2 forks to coat pasta with oil. Transfer to a medium size bowl and add the coconut milk/curry mixture. Toss again with forks till noodles are coated then cover lightly with plastic wrap and set aside. Allow to sit for 30 minutes before serving for pasta to absorb liquid. Taste and add a pinch of sea salt if needed.
4. Place lettuce on a large platter or divide between 6 large salad bowls or plates. Arrange nectarines, chicken, avocado and pasta in rows on top of lettuce. Drizzle lightly with the Asian Honey-Sesame Salad Dressing (recipe above) then scatter the chopped peanuts and fresh basil over the top. Pass extra dressing at the table.