There is some discrepancy as to the origin of this dish and weather it is authentically "Chinese" at all. Many food historians agree that Chinese chicken salad was most likely invented in California sometime in the 1930s, using Asian inspired ingredients.
Sugar snap peas showed up at the market the other day and I thought they would make a lovely edition to this salad. Occasionally, I also like to throw in a handful of fresh bean sprouts, but the Asian market on my street was sold out. For a bit of crunch, I like to use fried wonton wrappers. If you prefer to omit the wonton wrappers and are trying to save time, peanuts are a nice alternative (not to mention healthier) and add a nice bit of texture. This salad is a great way to transform leftover chicken into a meal, which I often do, cutting your cooking time in half.
CHINESE
CHICKEN SALAD
Dressing recipe courtesy Marion Hover
Ingredients:
For
the salad:
10
wonton wrappers, cut into ½-inch strips and separated
½ lb.
sugar snap peas
1 large
head romaine lettuce (or 2 romaine hearts), chopped or torn into bite size
pieces
2 to 3
cups grilled or roasted chicken, cut into bite size pieces
1 or 2
dried red chili peppers, crumbled (or 1 fresh pepper, minced)
Vegetable
or canola oil for frying
For
the dressing:
1½
tbsp. smooth peanut butter
2½
tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
½ tbsp.
sesame oil
2 tbsp.
low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp.
sugar
Pinch
of cayenne pepper
1 tbsp.
chopped green onions
1 tbsp.
chopped cilantro
For
the salad:
In a
medium sized saucepan, heat ¾ to 1-inch of oil to 350 degrees F on a fry/candy
thermometer. Fry 10 to 12 strips at a time until golden and crisp. Remove using
a slotted spoon or spider and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with
sea salt. Continue frying the rest of the strips in the same manner.
In a
medium pot of boiling salted water, blanch the sugar snap peas for about 1
minute, until tender and crisp. Immediately transfer the snap peas to an ice
bath to stop them from cooking. Once cool, strain, pat dry, and set
aside.
Place
the lettuce in a large bowl along with the sugar snap peas and
chicken. Pour dressing over salad (to taste) and toss to incorporate.
Garnish with crumbled (or minced) red chili peppers and fried wonton strips (if
using).
For
the dressing:
In a
measuring cup or small bowl, whisk the peanut butter, vegetable oil, and sesame
oil together until well blended. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the
remaining ingredients. Pour the oil and peanut butter mixture into the vinegar
mixture in a slow steady steam, whisking constantly. Taste to adjust
seasonings. Don't be afraid to play around with this recipe.
Yield 4
servings
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