asian chicken salad

asian chicken salad

You know how convenient those rotisserie chickens are?  Just stop into the market and pick up a ready-cooked bird.  Well, Costco has one-upped the rotisserie chicken!  They are selling cooked and shredded rotisserie chicken — breast meat — in cryovacked packages!  Now you don’t even have to pick the meat from the bone to make a quick and easy dinner!

This is so freakin’ convenient.  I think I’ve figured out their strategy.  Whatever chickens didn’t get sold that day, they break them apart and use the dark meat in their soups and chicken pot pies etc.  And they package the tender, juicy breast meat for even more convenience for us!  I love that!  

peel the ginger

grate the ginger

press out the juice

Now, the size of the package is a bit daunting for this household — with just the two of us — but by breaking it down into manageable quantities and using freezer paper to double wrap the packages for freezing, I’ve got just the right amount for any dinner in minutes.  

This asian chicken salad is the perfect way to use that already-off-the-bone chicken.  (Of course, you could also just bake or poach a couple of chicken breasts, but I want to make you aware of all of your options.  (And no, I’m not being compensated by Costco — but I’m available if they’d like to talk 🙂  .)

Now, let’s get to this total-flavor-explosion salad.  Aside from the crispy, crunchy veg, the sweet mandarin oranges and the slight heat from serrano peppers – there are two dressings!  They are both winners individually, but Lordy,  you put them together and POW!

The first is an asian-influenced vinaigrette.  My secret here is wasabi powder, ginger, honey and lime.  Toss the salad in this dressing and it adds a tangy brightness to the dish.

The second blend is more of a sauce than a dressing.  Made with hoisin sauce, ginger, garlic and lime – it’s sweet with a slight zing from the ginger.  Drizzle this over your plated dish and it will add deep  pops of flavor.

This gorgeous main plate salad is finished with roughly chopped cashews and those fun crispy rice noodles.  You can add black sesame seeds too!  

 Scott and I kept going back for more of this salad — just-can’t-stop-eating!!!  

 
Evidently, I couldn’t stop taking pictures, either.  

Print

Asian Chicken Salad

Prep Time

20 mins

Total Time

20 mins

 

Everyone loves an Asian Chicken Salad and this one delivers!  Garnish with cashews and chow mein noodles for extra crunch!

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: Asian Inspired

Servings: 4

Calories: 626 kcal

Ingredients

for the asian vinaigrette

• 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1 large clove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger juice from 1 knob of ginger about 2 1/2" long instructions below
• 1 lime zested and juiced
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon wasabi powder or several dashes of hot sauce to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

for the hoisin-lime sauce

• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1 large clove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger juice
• 6 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• pinch of kosher salt

for the salad

• 4 cups cooked chicken breast shredded or diced
• 3 scallions thinly sliced on a bias
• 1 red bell pepper cut into 1" matchsticks
• 1 large carrot peeled and julienned or grated on a box grater
• 6 mandarin oranges supremed or 1 11-oz. can mandarin oranges, rinsed and well drained
• 1/3 cup cilantro roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons mint leaves chopped fresh
• 1 6- ounce package baby arugula
• 1/3 cup cashews roughly chopped, plus additional for garnish
• sprinkle crispy chow mien or rice noodles for garnish and crunch
• black sesame seeds optional

Instructions

For the Ginger Juice

1. Using a microplane grater, grate the knob of ginger until it has been reduced to pulp. Scoop up the pulp into a fine mesh sieve. Hold the sieve over a bowl and press on the solids with the back of a spoon. Extract as much of the ginger juice as possible, rolling the pulp back onto itself and pressing. Discard the solids. You should have about 2-3 teaspoons of juice. Divide the juice into two small bowls. One is for the hoisin-lime sauce, the other is for the asian vinaigrette.

For the Vinaigrette

1. Combine the grapeseed oil, ginger juice, lime zest and juice, honey, garlic, vinegar, wasabi powder, salt and pepper into a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Taste for seasonings, adjust if necessary and set aside.

for the hoisin-lime sauce

1. In a small bowl combine the grapeseed oil, garlic, ginger juice, hoisin sauce, lime juice and a pinch of kosher salt. Whisk to combine - sauce will be thick and creamy. Taste for seasonings and adjust if necessary.

For The Salad

1. In a large bowl combine the scallions, bell pepper, carrot, orange segments, cilantro and mint leaves. Toss to combine. Add the chicken and toss to combine. Add the cashews and spoon 2-3 tablespoons of asian vinaigrette over the salad and toss well to coat. You can add more dressing if necessary, but don't overdress the salad.

To Serve

1. Divide arugula onto four plates. Top the arugula with mounds of the chicken salad. Drizzle scant amount of hoisin lime sauce over the salad and dot along the rim of the plate. Sprinkle the salad with additional cashews, chow mien or rice noodles and black sesame seeds, if desired. Enjoy.

Nutrition Facts

Asian Chicken Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 626 Calories from Fat 252

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 28g 43%

Saturated Fat 4g 20%

Cholesterol 119mg 40%

Sodium 816mg 34%

Potassium 1036mg 30%

Total Carbohydrates 44g 15%

Dietary Fiber 6g 24%

Sugars 29g

Protein 49g 98%

Vitamin A 126.6%

Vitamin C 111.2%

Calcium 18.5%

Iron 21.6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.