chinese chicken salad

Who doesn't love Chinese Chicken Salad? When I came up with a sesame lime vinaigrette for my previous job, I didn't realize how annoying it was squeezing lime until I had to do a gallon of it. I wanted something simpler and adaptable to stuff you probably have on hand. Lime imparts a nice, fresh, flavor, but when all the limes you buy are sadly dried on the inside, it's best to save yourself the trouble and just bring out the vinegar.

My favorite salad is from California Chicken Cafe in LA - and they add cooked rotini pasta, which I love! I didn't have it on this random day I wanted to make salad, so I left it out. You can also use Napa cabbage instead of romaine, but I find I have romaine more often at home. Don't substitute iceberg if you can help it - it's just not crunchy enough!

chinese chicken salad
* this needs to be adjusted

dressing:

• 2/3 cup (5 oz) rice vinegar/fresh lime juice mixture (to your preference - you can do half and half
• 6 tablespoons (1.5oz) hoisin
• 3 tablespoons (1.5oz) soy sauce
• 1 tablespoons ginger, minced, or 1 tsp ground dry, if you're gingerless
• 6 tablespoons (3oz) vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons (1oz) sesame oil

to serve:

• 1 carrot, julienned or use a peeler to make thin shavings
• 1/2 English cucumber, julienned
• 1 heart of Romaine, thinly chopped or two using just the crunchy parts and leaving the leaves for sandwiches like I do
• 2-3 green onions, chopped finely
• peanuts/almonds, if desired - toasted and chopped roughly
• 1 large chicken breast, poached or roasted (I always brine mine in 1T kosher salt/2 pints water for 2 hrs, then roast) and cooled to room temperature and shredded
• wonton wrappers, sliced into strips - probably about 4 to a wrapper
• oil
• oranges, for garnish
• cooked short pasta, if desired

1. Whisk everything but the oils together. Drizzle in the oils to emulsify into the sauce. If it breaks, don't worry - just shake it in an airtight container before serving

2. Heat an inch of oil in a pan. Test the hotness by dropping a wonton piece in - if it bubbles and floats, it's ready! A few wonton pieces at a time, drop them in and when they bubble and become light brown, remove them to a plate with paper towels to drain. Don't worry if they're white in some spots - they will generally even out. If they stay too white, you can drop them back in. This takes no time at all - watch them carefully! If they turn dark brown they will taste burnt.

3. Toss some of the dressing in with the other ingredients, to taste. Garnish with oranges.