Poached Chicken & Herb Salad
Gently poached chicken torn over cucumber, herbs, and leaves with a light lime dressing — lean, fresh, and low in fat.
Ingredients
- 250 g Chicken breast
- 1 Cucumber
- 3 tbsp Mint
- 2 Lime
- 3 tbsp Cilantro (optional)
- ½ head Romaine lettuce (optional)
- 1 tbsp Fish sauce (optional)
- 1 g Thai chilies (optional)
Method
- Poach the chicken in gently simmering water until cooked through, about 12 minutes, then lift it out and let it cool.
- Slice the cucumber and shred the romaine.
- Whisk the lime juice, fish sauce, and finely chopped chili into a dressing.
- Tear the cooled chicken into shreds.
- Toss the chicken, cucumber, romaine, mint, and cilantro with the dressing and serve.
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About Poached Chicken & Herb Salad
This poached chicken and herb salad draws on Thai flavor principles, pairing lean protein with cool vegetables, a generous fistful of fresh herbs, and a bright lime-and-fish-sauce dressing. Rather than grilling or frying, the chicken breast is gently poached in barely simmering water, a method that keeps it moist and tender while adding no fat, then torn into shreds so it soaks up the dressing. Cucumber and shredded romaine give crunch and volume, while mint and cilantro carry the aromatic, distinctly Southeast Asian character. Thai chilies bring the heat, balanced against the salt of fish sauce and the sourness of lime.
On the plate it is light, crisp, and refreshing, with the clean chicken acting as a mild backdrop for the sharp, savory, chili-spiked dressing and the cooling herbs. There is no oil or heavy sauce, so it eats fresh and clean rather than rich, which makes it a strong choice for a hot day or a lighter meal. It comes together in about twenty-five minutes and is easy to scale, working equally as a lunch on its own or alongside rice for a fuller dinner. The key is poaching the chicken gently and letting it cool before shredding, which keeps it juicy and lets it absorb the lime dressing.
Poached Chicken & Herb Salad: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Poached Chicken & Herb Salad?
A serving has about 209 calories — 30g protein, 15.9g carbs, 4.6g fat, 5.7g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 30g of protein, roughly 57% of its calories.
Is Poached Chicken & Herb Salad gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Poached Chicken & Herb Salad has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
Do I need every ingredient to make Poached Chicken & Herb Salad?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out cilantro, romaine lettuce, fish sauce — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Poached Chicken & Herb Salad make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.