Thai Chicken Salad

(adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's Far Eastern Cookery)

1/2 lb. chicken breast
1 large Granny Smith apple
2 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp sugar
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 cup red seedless grapes, halved lengthwise
1 cup green seedless grapes, halved lengthwise
1 can mandarin oranges in juice
1-3 serrano chiles, cut in very thin rounds
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
coarsely chopped roasted peanuts (for garnish)
dried shallots or onions (for garnish)

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1. Poach and shred chicken breast, or use breast meat from a rotisserie chicken. Let cool.
2. Combine 1 tsp salt with 2 1/2 cups water in a small bowl. Peel and core the apple and cut into 1/4-inch dice. As you cut and dice, put the apple pieces in the salted water. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1 tsp of salt, sugar, and lime juice. Stir until sugar dissolves, and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine fruit, chiles, and cilantro. Drain apples well and add to bowl. Add cooled shredded chicken. Add dressing and stir gently to combine. Garnish with chopped peanuts and dehydrated shallots or onions (original recipe calls for fried shallots, but I don't usually bother - the dehydrated kind are healthier and don't make my kitchen smell like grease).