Ten ingredients and thirty minutes, with ten of those minutes in a skillet.
There are no peanuts, no cabbage and no noodles here. The bulk of the dish is cucumber.
Why This Recipe Works
- Thick cucumber rounds hold their crunch against a thin dressing.
- Leaving the skin on keeps the rounds firm and gives the plate its colour.
- Resting the chicken before slicing keeps its juices in the meat.
- Brown sugar balances the salt of the fish sauce without making it sweet.
- Dressing at the last moment stops the cucumber weeping.
Ingredient Notes
- Cucumbers, skin-on and thickly sliced
- Two large ones. Thick rounds with the skin left on — they are the body of the salad, not a garnish.
- Fresh red chilli
- One, thinly sliced. It is a visible component the title never names and it makes this a genuinely hot dish.
- Fish sauce
- A tablespoon and a half, against two tablespoons of lime juice. It is the salt in the dressing — there is none added separately.
- Fresh mint
- A third of a cup of leaves. Mint rather than coriander.
How to Make It
Chicken cooked to 165°F, rested and sliced
Cook the chicken in oil until browned and 165°F; rest and slice.
A thin amber dressing whisked
Whisk lime juice, fish sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and garlic to make a thin amber dressing.
Cucumber, chicken, chilli and mint combined
Combine cucumber rounds, sliced chicken, red chilli, and mint.
Tossed just before serving
Toss with the dressing just before serving.
Served cold, held at 40°F or below
Serve chilled or cool; keep at 40°F or below if holding.
Thai-inspired, not traditional
Describe the recipe as Thai-inspired rather than traditional or authentic.
A Dressing With No Oil In It
The dressing on this salad is thin and amber and it POOLS on the plate rather than clinging - which is unusual, and entirely because there is no oil in it at all. Four things make it, and the ratio between them is the whole seasoning of the dish. Shares are drawn from the measures for the bar only.
- Cucumber, skin-on, thickly sliced - the bulk2 large
- Chicken breast, cooked and sliced1 lb
- Lime juice - the acid2 tbsp
- Fish sauce - ALL the salt1 1/2 tbsp
- Rice vinegar - the softer acid1 tbsp
- Light brown sugar - the counterweight1 tbsp
- Fresh mint leaves1/3 cup
Notice what is absent from that list: no oil, and no salt. The FISH SAUCE is the entire salt content of the dish, which is why 1 1/2 tbsp of it is balanced against 1 tbsp of brown sugar - remove the sugar and the dressing is simply salty, remove the fish sauce and there is nothing seasoning the cucumber at all. Two acids rather than one: lime for aroma and sharpness, rice vinegar milder and rounder underneath it. Because there is no oil, the dressing stays thin and POOLS. That also makes the timing matter - it is tossed JUST BEFORE SERVING, because salt and acid draw water out of cucumber and a salad dressed early sits in its own liquid. The heat is separate again: 1 whole fresh RED CHILLI, thinly sliced, along with 2 cloves of minced garlic and the mint - three components the title names none of. That much chilli makes this a genuinely hot dish, so this is not a mild salad. And what is NOT here: NO peanuts, NO cabbage, NO noodles.
Success Tips
- Slice the cucumber thickly; thin rounds go limp the moment they are dressed.
- Rest the chicken before slicing so the juices stay in it rather than in the bowl.
- Dress at the table — the salad waters down within minutes of being tossed.
Serving Ideas
Four servings on white plates, thick cucumber rounds and sliced chicken in the thin amber dressing, heavily scattered with sliced red chilli, minced garlic and mint leaves.
Frequently Asked Questions
How hot is this?
Genuinely hot. A whole fresh red chilli goes in thinly sliced and stays visible in the finished salad.
Are there peanuts in this one?
No — no peanuts, no cabbage and no noodles.
Is this a traditional Thai recipe?
It is Thai-inspired. This recipe makes no claim of tradition, region or authenticity.
