Asian Chicken Salad
Happy New Year! Ryan and I welcomed 2015 back in Michigan. We had dinner at a great Italian restaurant in Kalamazoo. Scallops, tuna, truffles, braised short ribs, and great wine. It was truly a memorable meal and a great way to celebrate the end of 2014.
I don't know about you but I've eaten my way through the holidays and I need a break. Something fresh, light, but still filling. This salad fits that bill. Crisp napa cabbage, warm chicken, and a slightly spicy dressing. It's a salad robust enough for dinner yet a great departure from the heavy comfort food we've been buried under the last few weeks.
Start this chicken salad by marinating the chicken breasts. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the zest and juice of one lime, one large clove of minced garlic, salt and pepper, and two tablespoons of olive oil. Mix well and rub the marinade onto both sides of two medium sized chicken breasts. Set aside for 10-15 minutes while the oven preheats. When oven is hot, roast chicken in a glass baking dish until cooked through, about 20 minutes.
While chicken is roasting, combine dressing ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together the juice of one lime, two tablespoons of tahini (smooth peanut butter can be substituted), a tablespoon of soy sauce, a teaspoon of chili paste or sriracha, a teaspoon of fish sauce (optional), a teaspoon of sesame oil, and two tablespoons of honey. Grate in one clove of garlic and a 1/2 in sized piece of peeled fresh ginger. Whisk together to combine well and thin with a teaspoon of water if necessary.
Shred one large head of cabbage into a colander. Wash and dry well. Thinly slice one red bell pepper. Add one thinly sliced seedless cucumber and 4-6 thinly sliced radishes. I use a mandolin to slice the cucumber and radishes so I get uniform thin slices. Toss the fresh ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to combine well.
When the chicken is fully cooked, rest the roasted chicken, wrapped in tinfoil, for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Plate a generous amount of salad and top with sliced chicken. Drizzle with additional dressing if desired.
If making this salad ahead, keep the dressing separate from the other ingredients in an air tight container. Shake the container before dressing the salad if dressing ingredients have started to separate.
I hope you enjoy this salad as much as we do. It's fresh, a bit spicy, with a ton of flavor in the dressing.
Recipe
Asian Chicken Salad
By Land of Noms, January 3, 2015
A fresh salad with a slightly spicy dressing; perfect for a light dinner.
chicken, salad, healthy
Ingredients
- 2-3 boneless chicken breasts, 1 pound total
- 2 limes
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 medium head of napa cabbage
- 1 red bell pepper
- 4-6 small radishes
- 1 seedless cucumber
- 2 tablespoons of tahini or peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon of chili paste or sriracha
- 1 teaspoon of fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
- 2 tablepoons of honey
- 1/2 inch piece of peeled ginger
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a small bowl, zest and juice 1 lime; add 1 clove of minced garlic and salt and pepper
- Stir in 2 tablespoons of olive oil; rub marinade into both sides of boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Allow chicken to marinate at least 10 minutes; bake in a 350 degree oven 20 minutes or until cooked through; rest wrapped in tinfoil
- While chicken is roasting, combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl; juice of 1 lime, 1 clove of minced garlic, soy sauce, tahini or peanut butter, chili paste or sriracha, fish sauce, sesame oil, honey, and grated fresh ginger
- Whisk dressing until fully combined
- Shred cabbage and wash and dry well
- Thinly slice red pepper, radishes, and cucumber; combine with cabbage in a large bowl
- Toss salad with dressing to coat
- Portion salad onto serving plates and top with sliced roasted chicken
Sharing our culinary adventures in Cascadia with simple, sustainable & satisfying eats. Bon Appétit!
