Asian Sesame Chicken Salad with Ginger Dressing

Name: Asian Sesame Chicken Salad with Ginger Dressing
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 43 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Asian-American
Ingredients: 1¼ lb (about 2 large breasts) (570 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed; 4 cups (950 ml) water, enough to cover the chicken by 1 inch; 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt; 3 slices (¼-inch thick) (15 g) fresh ginger, unpeeled; 1 whole (15 g) scallion, cut into 3 pieces; 3 tbsp (45 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar; 2 tbsp (30 ml) low-sodium soy sauce; 1½ tbsp (22 ml) toasted sesame oil; 3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil such as canola or avocado oil; 1½ tbsp (32 g) honey; 1 tbsp (6 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 1 medium clove (4 g) garlic clove, finely grated; ½ medium head (about 1 lb) (450 g) napa cabbage, cored, thinly sliced crosswise into ½-inch ribbons (about 6 cups), washed and fully dried; 2 hearts (about 8 oz) (225 g) romaine hearts, chopped into bite-size pieces (about 4 cups), washed and fully dried; 1 large (100 g) large carrot, peeled and coarsely grated; 4 whole (60 g) scallions, thinly sliced on a diagonal; 11 oz can (312 g) mandarin orange segments in juice, drained well and patted dry; 2 tbsp (18 g) white sesame seeds; 1½ cups (60 g) crispy chow mein noodles; ½ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed, roughly chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp napa cabbage and romaine, juicy poached chicken, sweet mandarin oranges and crunchy noodles come together under a bright, nutty ginger-sesame dressing. It's a satisfying main-course salad you can pull together in under an hour.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 18 min
Wait: 20 min
Total: 1 hr 3 min
Makes: 4 main-course salads (about 2 ½ cups each)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the chicken
1¼ lb (about 2 large breasts) (570 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
4 cups (950 ml) water, enough to cover the chicken by 1 inch
1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt
3 slices (¼-inch thick) (15 g) fresh ginger, unpeeled
1 whole (15 g) scallion, cut into 3 pieces
For the ginger dressing
3 tbsp (45 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tbsp (30 ml) low-sodium soy sauce
1½ tbsp (22 ml) toasted sesame oil
3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil such as canola or avocado oil
1½ tbsp (32 g) honey
1 tbsp (6 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 medium clove (4 g) garlic clove, finely grated
For the salad
½ medium head (about 1 lb) (450 g) napa cabbage, cored, thinly sliced crosswise into ½-inch ribbons (about 6 cups), washed and fully dried
2 hearts (about 8 oz) (225 g) romaine hearts, chopped into bite-size pieces (about 4 cups), washed and fully dried
1 large (100 g) large carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
4 whole (60 g) scallions, thinly sliced on a diagonal
11 oz can (312 g) mandarin orange segments in juice, drained well and patted dry
2 tbsp (18 g) white sesame seeds
1½ cups (60 g) crispy chow mein noodles
½ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed, roughly chopped (optional)

Equipment (8)

Medium saucepan with lid (3-quart / 3 L)
Instant-read thermometer
Large mixing bowl (4-quart / 4 L or bigger)
Small bowl or jar with lid for the dressing
Microplane or fine grater
Cutting board and chef's knife
Small dry skillet (8-inch / 20 cm)
Two forks for shredding

Steps

Before you start

Poached chicken needs to cool for about 20 minutes before shredding, so start with the chicken.
Wash and thoroughly dry the cabbage and romaine; wet leaves make the dressing slide off and the salad soggy.
Dress the salad only when you are ready to eat so the noodles stay crunchy.
Use a thermometer to check the chicken; it must reach 165°F (74°C).

1
Set up the poaching liquid
- Place the chicken breasts in a 3-quart saucepan in a single layer.
- Add the 4 cups water, the poaching salt, the 3 ginger slices and the 3 scallion pieces.
- The water should cover the chicken by about 1 inch (2.5 cm); add a little more if not.
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Ready when: Water reaches a gentle simmer with tiny bubbles at the edges, about 8 minutes.
Tip: Starting in cold water heats the chicken gradually so it cooks evenly.
2
Poach the chicken
- When small bubbles appear, reduce the heat to low so the water barely trembles.
- Cover and cook 12–15 minutes, flipping once halfway.
- Turn off the heat.
- Check the thickest part with a thermometer.
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Ready when: Thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part and the juices run clear.
Tip: A hard boil makes chicken tough and stringy. Keep it at a bare tremble.
3
Cool the chicken
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it rest 20 minutes, until cool enough to handle.
- Resting keeps the juices in the meat.
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Ready when: Chicken is warm, not hot, to the touch.
Tip: Use this time to prep the vegetables and dressing.
4
Toast the sesame seeds
- Put the sesame seeds in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat.
- Stir or shake constantly for 3–4 minutes.
- Tip them onto a plate right away to stop the cooking.
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Ready when: Seeds are light golden and smell nutty.
Tip: They go from golden to burnt in seconds, so don't walk away.
5
Whisk the dressing
- In a small bowl or jar, combine the rice vinegar, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, neutral oil, honey, grated ginger and grated garlic.
- Whisk or shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
- Taste; it should be tangy, nutty and lightly sweet.
- Add a splash more vinegar or a drizzle of honey if needed.
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Ready when: Dressing looks evenly blended and slightly thickened.
Tip: Shake again right before using because the oil will separate on standing.
6
Prep the vegetables
- In a large bowl, combine the napa cabbage, romaine, grated carrot and sliced scallions.
- Pat the drained mandarin segments dry with paper towels and keep them separate for now.
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Ready when: Greens are dry and crisp with no pooled water in the bowl.
Tip: Dry greens hold dressing better and stay crunchy longer.
7
Shred the chicken
- Using two forks, pull the cooled chicken apart along the grain into bite-size shreds.
- Moisten with 2 tablespoons of the dressing and toss to coat.
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Ready when: Meat pulls apart easily into strands and looks glossy.
Tip: Season the chicken separately so it's flavorful rather than bland against the greens.
8
Toss and serve
- Pour about three-quarters of the remaining dressing over the greens and toss gently with tongs for 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken, mandarin segments, most of the sesame seeds and the cilantro, if using; toss lightly.
- Divide among 4 bowls.
- Top with the crispy noodles and remaining sesame seeds, and drizzle with the last of the dressing.
- Serve immediately.
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Ready when: Leaves are lightly and evenly glossy, not swimming in dressing.
Tip: Add the noodles at the very end so they stay crunchy.

Good to know

Tips

Pat everything dry: damp greens dilute the dressing and make a watery salad.
Slice the napa cabbage thinly; thick pieces are tough and hard to eat.
Grate the ginger and garlic on a Microplane so they melt into the dressing instead of leaving harsh bites.
For more heat, add 1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce to the dressing.

Make ahead

"Poach and shred the chicken up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container. Make the dressing up to 5 days ahead. Prep the vegetables up to 1 day ahead and store them dry in a container lined with paper towels. Combine just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Undressed components keep in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days (dressing up to 5 days). A dressed salad is best eaten right away and will wilt within about 2 hours. Store crispy noodles at room temperature in a sealed bag for up to 1 week. The cooked chicken can be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. The salad itself does not freeze. Serve cold; no reheating needed."

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken breasts → Rotisserie chicken, about 3 cups shredded meat. Skips steps 1–3 and saves about 40 minutes; remove the skin.
honey → Maple syrup. Use the same amount; makes the dressing vegan-friendly aside from the chicken.
low-sodium soy sauce → Tamari or coconut aminos. Tamari makes it gluten-free; check the noodles too, as chow mein noodles contain wheat.
mandarin orange segments in juice → Fresh clementine or navel orange segments. Use about 1 ½ cups of peeled, membrane-free segments.