pho ga salad

I got the inspiration for this salad when I got a Pho Ga craving. I was attending a picnic this weekend and thought how could I bring the flavors of delicious pho to a salad. The result is what you see here.

The salad got rave reviews. And frankly, the leftovers never made back to my fridge. Enjoy!

pho ga salad

1 14oz package of rice noodle 

   (3 Ladies Brand- M)

2 tbs finely chopped ginger

2 tbs finely chopped garlic

1/3 cup canola oil

juice of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup)

2-3 tbs fish sauce (adjust according to taste)

1 carrot finely shredded

4 green onions finely sliced

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

3 tbs chopped mint

3 tbs chopped basil

1-2 finely sliced jalapenos (optional)

2 cups cooked chicken breast - shredded

(A Costco rotisserie chicken is perfect for this recipe. I used the breasts from 1 chicken)

preparation
Prepare the dressing and salad ingredients before cooking the noodles.

dressing

Heat the oil in a small sauce pan until warm. Add garlic and ginger and cook until translucent and fragrant- be careful not to burn or brown the mixture. Set aside to cool.

Whisk cooled oil mixture, lime juice and fish sauce. Set aside.

noodles
Soak noodles for 30 minutes in hot tap water and drain. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and cooked the soaked noodles for 1 minute. Rinse under cold water until cool. Drain thoroughly.

*DO NOT OVERCOOK* Rice noodles cook quickly and get mushy very easily. The finished texture should be soft but still elastic.

assembly

Add the dressing and toss the noodles to coat evenly. Add vegetables and chicken and toss to incorporate evenly.

Serve with sliced jalapenos (if using). Siracha sauce makes a nice add too.