Asian Chicken Salad

Asian Chicken Salad

Makes 6 servings, 2 cups each

Ingredients

Dressing
¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar (brown sugar sub.)
1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil
1 ½ teaspoons chile-garlic sauce (see Ingredient notes)
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tahini paste
¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth or reserved chicken-poaching liquid

Salad


2 tablespoons sesame seeds
8 cups shredded napa cabbage (1 small head; see Ingredient notes)
1 ½ cups grated carrots (2-3 medium)
5 radishes, sliced (about 1 cup)
½ cup chopped scallions
3 ½ cups shredded skinless cooked chicken (about 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast) (see Tip)



Instructions

1. To prepare dressing: Combine soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil and chile-garlic sauce in a glass measuring cup; stir to blend. Heat canola oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce mixture to the pan; bring to a simmer. Whisk in tahini and broth (or poaching liquid); cook until reduced slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool.

2. To prepare salad: Heat a small dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add sesame seeds and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a small plate to cool.

3. Combine cabbage, carrots, radishes, scallions and chicken in a large shallow bowl. Stir dressing to recombine and drizzle over the salad; toss to coat. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top.



Tips

Cover and refrigerate the dressing (Step 1) for up to 2 days.

To poach chicken: Combine two 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth, 2 chopped scallions, 2 slivers fresh ginger and 2 cloves garlic in a large skillet; bring to a simmer. Add 11/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast and cook over medium heat until no longer pink inside, 10 to 15 minutes. The flavorful poaching liquid will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.




Ingredient notes:
Chile-garlic sauce is a spicy blend of chiles, garlic and other seasonings; it is found in the Asian section of the market.


Napa cabbage has an elongated head and is pale green in color with tender, tapered white ribs. Its tightly packed, crinkled leaves have a crisp texture. Discard the cone-shaped core. One small head yields about 8 cups shredded.


Nutrition Information

Per serving: 289 calories; 14 g fat (2 g sat, 7 g mono); 64 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrate; 28 g protein; 3 g fiber; 518 mg sodium.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (100% daily value), Vitamin C (60% dv).