Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced crosswise

Spicy Asian Dressing for Thai Chicken and Noodle Salad

Coarse salt

3 1/2 ounces Chinese rice noodles, broken in half if long

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as safflower

2 carrots, sliced into ribbons with a vegetable peeler

1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1/4 cup fresh basil, torn

Bean sprouts, chopped peanuts, fresh mint leaves, red-pepper flakes, and sliced scallion greens, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Place chicken and half of dressing in a resealable plastic bag (reserve remaining dressing). Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes (or refrigerate up to overnight).

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles until tender. Drain, and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Transfer to a platter.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Working in batches, cook chicken (do not crowd skillet) until cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes; transfer to platter on top of noodles.

Top with carrots, cucumber, and basil. Drizzle with reserved dressing, and sprinkle with garnishes, if desired.