Coconut lime chicken salad

Salads are always a hit with family as it is healthy and and flavourful. Coconut lime chicken salad, a recipe devised by Anupama Prem, the winner of Double Horse Onmanorama HomeChef Chef of the Month title, guarantees restaurant quality salad that can easily be made at home and it's healthier.

Anupama, a native of Thrissur, was always passionate about cooking and her lifelong love for food started at the age of nine. For her, cooking is an interesting world and once you are into it, it's more like a meditation. She started her career as a chef and is now working on food photography and styling. Login to the Instagram page and the blog 'Wandering pickle' for some creative dishes from Anupama's kitchen.

With few cups of Double Horse coconut milk, Anupama has made this salad for anyone looking to add a little more nutrition to their diet! Loaded with fresh greens tossed in an orange honey dressing, this salad has a healthy dose of vegetables to your everyday meal.

Read the recipe in Malayalam

Ingredients
For Dressing
1 orange
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp mustard sauce
2 tsp honey
Juice of half lemon
Salt and pepper powder- to taste

For Marinade
200 ml Double horse coconut milk
1 stalk lemongrass
4-5 Thai red chillies
Lemon zest and juice of 1 lemon
5 cloves of garlic
Salt to taste

For Salad
2 pieces of boneless skinless chicken thighs
4 cups salad greens washed and cleaned (iceberg lettuce,lollo rosso, Arugula,cos lettuce,
microgreens etc)
Orange segments from 1 orange
2 sliced plums
6 cherry tomatoes
1 yellow bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
Pumpkin seeds for garnishing on top

Preparation
Pound the ingredients for the marination (except coconut milk) with a pestle and mortar.
Once it's crushed well, mix the ingredients with coconut milk and marinate the chicken thighs. Refrigerate overnight or for 3-4 hours.
Whisk the ingredients for the salad dressing together (without oil).
Once mixed well, slowly add the oil and whisk until fully incorporated.
The dressing should get a bit thick after adding oil.
Grill the chicken on both sides until just cooked (time would depend on the thickness of the cut of each piece).
Rest the chicken for 10 minutes.
Cut them into thick slices, heat the remaining marinade in a small plan and add the chicken, simmer for 5 minutes until the marinade is reduced.
In a large bowl add the salad ingredients (except the greens and chicken). Mix enough dressing with hand.
Add the salad greens and mix very gently with hands.
Assemble on a salad plate or bowl, add the chicken pieces on top and garnish with pumpkin seeds.

Notes
The dressing should be added just before serving, the ingredients and the salad greens would wilt otherwise. Also, do not mix the ingredients vigorously.