40. Chinese Chicken Salad

I used to make this salad all the time, with dressing in a bottle from Coco’s, a west coast bakery/restaurant.  Coco’s stopped selling the dressing, which is just as well (not to malign their product, but it was probably 50% high fructose corn syrup), and I stopped making the salad.

I decided to find a dressing that would not only work, but would also be healthier than the bottled version.  I found a great dressing recipe by Bobby Flay, Food Network celebrity chef.  I’ve adapted it here.

This is a wonderful salad, and can stand alone as a meal.  It’s crunchy, slightly sweet and spicy, and has great Asian flair.

Ingredients

1/2 head Napa cabbage, thinly chopped

1/2 head romaine lettuce, thinly chopped

1/4 head purple cabbage, thinly chopped

2 carrots, peeled and grated

1/4 lb snow peas or sugar snap peas, chopped into 1/3s

1/2 cup green onions, thinly chopped

1 cup bean sprouts

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts, chopped

2 chicken breasts, with bone and skin, roasted (or use store-bought rotisserie chicken to save a step.  Just pull the breast meat off the bone and shred).

Peanut Chipotle Dressing

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 Tbsp peanut butter

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

2 tsp chipotle puree (buy in the latin food section:  canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)

1 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp honey

2 tsp toasted sunflower seed oil

1/2 cup sesame oil (or canola oil)

sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

First roast the chicken breasts.  Rub a little olive oil on each breast and salt and pepper front and back. Roast in 375 oven for about 45 minutes (depending on the size).  Don’t overcook!  If you have a meat thermometer, you want the meat to reach 165 degrees.  Take it out, cover it with foil, and let it rest.  If you want to bypass this step altogether, pick up a rotisserie chicken at your local market and remove the breast meat from the bone; shred it.

Make the dressing.  Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.  

Now assemble the salad.  Combine all ingredients, except for the chicken and peanuts,  in a large bowl and toss.  Pull the chicken meat off the bone with a fork.  It should “shred” as you do this.  Toss the chicken and peanuts in the salad, dress, and serve immediately.

4-6 servings