When you sweat by the pool, your natural instinct is to jump in the water. But when it comes to eating spicy food, water won’t work. What does work is this punched-up Asian cucumber salad. It heats up your taste buds and cools them down, both at the same time. The easy-to-make meal will become a life-saver during those hot summer months. You could even pack it for the pool to help you stay cool as, well, a cucumber (salad).

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Asian Cucumber Salad With Spicy Chicken

Servings 2

Calories 452 kcal

Author Paleoista

Ingredients

Spicy Chicken

2 pasture-fed chicken quarters thighs and legs
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 tsp. Chinese Five Spice
Kosher salt to taste
Dried Chinese red pepper optional*

Asian Cucumber Salad

2 large cucumbers peeled and diced
2 tsp. rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. freshly shredded ginger
1 tsp. black sesame seeds
4 cloves garlic

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Pat chicken quarters dry and rub with Chinese Five Spice and salt. Make sure to season underneath the chicken skin. Let chicken sit for 10 minutes.
Heat oil in cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Sear chicken on one side for 6 to 8 minutes, or until skin is browned. Flip and cook an additional 4 to 6 minutes.
Transfer skillet to oven and bake until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, add ginger, sesame seeds and garlic to food processor and pulse to combine.
In a large bowl, add cucumbers and spice-seed mixture.
Pour in rice vinegar and stir to combine. Place bowl in refrigerator to chill.
Remove chicken from oven and let rest under foil tent until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
Divide salad into two portions, place chicken on top and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

If using the dried Chinese red pepper, be conservative. It is six to 30 times hotter than a jalapeño pepper.

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Nutrition Facts

Asian Cucumber Salad With Spicy Chicken

Amount Per Serving

Calories 452 Calories from Fat 306

% Daily Value*

Fat 34g52%

Saturated Fat 13g65%

Cholesterol 142mg47%

Sodium 120mg5%

Potassium 784mg22%

Carbohydrates 12g4%

Fiber 3g12%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 27g54%

Vitamin A 329IU7%

Vitamin C 12mg15%

Calcium 104mg10%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.