Recipes

Chinese Sesame Chicken Salad

Cuisine: Oriental

Type: Salad

Serves: Up to 4

Source:	Cuisine at Home, June 2004. Also, Firehouse Food
Attributes:
Comments:	This version of the recipe uses fried chicken nuggets. You can also make it by poaching chicken breasts in soy sauce instead.
Serving Suggestions:	This salad makes a nice lunch or dinner.

Ingredients:

Dressing ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup cilantro leaves, or less to taste
3 tbs. rice wine vinegar
2 tbs. Asian sesame oil
2 tbs. soy sauce
1 tbs. sugar
1 tbs. fresh ginger, minced
Pinch of cayenne

Toast:

2 tbs. sesame seeds

Caramelized almonds:

1 tbs. unsalted butter
2/3 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup dark brown sugar

Chicken ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tbs. sesame seeds
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. kosher salt
Cooking oil (canola or peanut)

For the salad:

1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
1-1/2 cups chow mein noodles
3 carrots, grated

Instructions:

1. Marinate chicken strips in buttermilk for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing, toasted sesame seeds and caramelized almonds first and set aside while cooking the chicken and preparing the salad ingredients. Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden, stirring often. Remove from pan and cool. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add almonds and saute until golden, about 2 minutes. Add brown sugar and stir until melted and combined. Spread on foil to cool.

3. Whisk together the chicken breading ingredients: flour, cornstarch, sesame seeds, paprika and salt. Put in a large zip-top bag or in a large bowl. Toss with the chicken strips to coat. Fry chicken (in 2 or 3 batches) in hot oil. Drain on paper towels.

4. Toss the lettuce, noodles and carrots with dressing to coat. Serve with chicken strips on top and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and caramelized almonds.

Related recipes:

None