Recipe Review | Milk Street's Southeast Asian Chicken Salad with Cashews & Coconut

I've blogged a little about my subscription to Milk Street Magazine because the publication is excellent. Not only is it full of terrific, global recipes covering the spectrum from simple to exotic (ingredients, preparation, flavors), it is absent of ads and packed with super "readable" content. I love sitting down with a new issue and simply reading it from cover to cover. Today, I'm sharing a recipe that has become a family favorite: Asian Chicken Salad with Cashews & Coconut. This brightly flavored salad is well suited for warmer days but the rich flavors, generous portion of tender chicken, and easy of preparation make it a regular feature around here no matter the season. I hope you'll try it too.

Southeast Asian Chicken Salad with Cashews & Coconut [Printable Recipe Link]

via Milk Street, July-August 2019

25 minutes, Serves 6-8

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What you need:

1/3 cup unsweetened wide-flake coconut

2 Fresno or jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced (you can see from the pics above that I used jalapeños instead of the red Fresnos)

3 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

1/3 cup lime juice

1/4 cup fish sauce

2 1/2 teaspoons white sugar

2 medium shallots, halved and thinly sliced

3 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie)

1/4 medium head green cabbage, cored and shredded (about 2 cups)

1/2 cup roasted cashews, roughly chopped

2 cups lightly packed fresh basil, torn

2 cups lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves

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What to do:

1. In a small skillet over medium, toast the coconut, stirring frequently, until light golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
2. In a blender, combine half of the sliced chilies, the garlic, lime juice, fish sauce and sugar. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl, mix to coat the shallots and chicken and let stand for 10 minutes.
3. Add the cabbage and toss with your hands to combine, gently rubbing the dressing into the shreds. Add the remaining sliced chilies, the cashews and coconut, then toss. Add the basil and cilantro and gently toss again.