Spicy chicken thighs with cucumber and cashew salad

This hot chicken and cool noodle salad combines bright lime and chilli flavours to spice up a summer lunch.

Ingredients

For the spicy chicken thighs

• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
• 2 large red chillies, finely chopped
• 2 tsp sugar
• 8 chicken thighs, bone and skin removed
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

For the cucumber and cashew salad

• 3 tbsp lime juice
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 200g/7oz vermicelli rice noodles
• 2 cucumbers, halved and thinly sliced
• small handful fresh mint leaves
• 4 spring onions, sliced finely
• 2 tbsp cashews, crushed

Preparation method

1. For the spicy chicken thighs, whisk the fish sauce, pepper, garlic, chillies and sugar together in a bowl.
   
2. In a separate bowl, pour half the marinade over the chicken thighs. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Reserve the rest of the marinade.
   
3. For cucumber and cashew salad, make a dressing by adding the lime juice and sugar to the reserved marinade, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
   
4. In a heat-proof bowl, cover the vermicelli with boiling water and leave for a minute or so until the noodles have softened.
   
5. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold water. Mix the drained noodles in a large bowl with the cucumber, mint, spring onions, cashews and the dressing until well combined.
   
6. Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade, shaking off any excess. Fry the chicken thighs in the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. (You may have to do this in batches.)
   
7. To serve, divide the cucumber and cashew salad among four plates, slice the chicken and place alongside.