RECIPE: This quick and simple chicken salad is full of crunch and flavour

Your oven’s broiler can do more than just add a little colour. In this simple salad, it becomes a weeknight hero, turning out perfectly charred chicken thighs, cabbage, and crisp-tender green beans in less than 20 minutes. Coat everything in the simple soy and rice vinegar dressing amped up with nutty sesame oil and a generous squeeze of tangy, spicy sriracha. If you don’t have honey on hand, feel free to swap with maple syrup.

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3 Tbsp. soy sauce, divided

2 Tbsp. honey, divided

4 skinless, boneless medium chicken thighs (700g)

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

1 medium head of red cabbage (about 900g.)

340g. green beans, trimmed

¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar

2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil

1Tbsp. sriracha

1 garlic clove, finely grated

3 scallions, thinly sliced on a diagonal

½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro, plus more for serving

3 Tbsp. salted dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Preparation

Step 1

Whisk 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, and 1 Tbsp. honey in a medium bowl to combine. Add 4 skinless, boneless medium chicken thighs, season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and toss to coat.

Step 2

Place a rack in middle of oven; heat broiler. Cut 1 medium head of red cabbage in half through core, then cut each half into 3 wedges, keeping core intact. Arrange cabbage and green beans, trimmed, on a large rimmed baking sheet, leaving space on one side for chicken. Drizzle with remaining 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, then season with salt. Place chicken in a single layer in reserved space and broil until cabbage, green beans, and chicken are charred in spots and chicken is cooked through, 17–22 minutes. Let cool 5–10 minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, whisk ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil, 1 Tbsp. sriracha, 1 garlic clove, finely grated, remaining 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, and remaining 1 Tbsp. honey in a small bowl to combine; season dressing with salt.

Step 4

Transfer chicken and cabbage to a cutting board; transfer green beans to a large bowl. Remove core from cabbage; discard. Coarsely chop cabbage, then coarsely shred chicken. Add both to bowl with green beans. Add about three fourths of 3 scallions, thinly sliced on a diagonal, and ½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro and drizzle dressing over; toss salad to coat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Step 5

Top salad with 3 Tbsp. salted dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped, and remaining scallion and cilantro.

Written by Zaynab Issa

This article originally appeared on Bon Appetit US