Vietnamese Chicken Salad with Rice Noodles

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  First, peel all 4 cloves of garlic. Press two cloves into a sealable container and mix them with the other marinade ingredients. Add the chicken to the resulting mixture, close the container, and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
• 2
  While the meat is marinating, press the remaining 2 cloves of garlic into a small bowl and mix them with the other dressing ingredients. Set the resulting mixture aside and stir occasionally to ensure the cane sugar dissolves well.
• 3
  Then, cook the rice noodles: In a small pot, bring enough water to a boil over high heat. Once the water boils, remove the pot from the heat, add the noodles, and let them soften in the water for 1–2 minutes. After softening, drain the noodles and rinse them under cold water.
• 4
  Next, prepare the vegetables: Wash the cucumber, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and slice it into thin half-moons. Peel the carrot and slice it into thin rounds. Cut the romaine lettuce into smaller pieces (approx. 2 cm × 2 cm). Remove the stems from both the cilantro and mint, keeping only the leaves.
• 5
  After at least 30 minutes of marinating, remove the container with the meat from the refrigerator, prepare a large pan, and heat it dry over medium to high heat. Then, place the marinated meat into it and sear it for 5–7 minutes on each side over medium to high heat. Afterward, remove the pan from the heat and cut the seared meat into thinner pieces.
• 6
  Now, prepare 2 bowls and divide the cooked rice noodles among them. On top of each serving, arrange the sliced cucumber, carrot, romaine lettuce, cilantro, mint, and sliced chicken. Finally, pour the prepared dressing over each serving and serve.