Barefoot Bloggers: Chinese Chicken Salad

I have to send a HUGE thank you to McKenzie over at Kenzie’s Kitchen for this recipe pick. This Chinese Chicken Salad was so good! The subtle peanut flavor of the sauce tossed with the chicken and vegetables was delicious. This will be going into our recipe rotation for sure! To learn more about the Barefoot Bloggers and see how you can cook these amazing recipes along with us, click here!

**Update March, 2010: This recipe has become a family favorite and after making it several times, I have written the recipe below with my adaptations. Feel free to click the Food Network link below for the original, but I think my version is pretty good. **

Chinese Chicken Salad

• 4 split chicken breasts (bone-in, skin-on)
• Good olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound asparagus, ends removed, and cut in thirds diagonally
• 2 cups of sugar snap peas or snow peas
• 2 scallions (white and green parts), sliced diagonally
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted
• Dressing:
• 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1/4 cup good apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
• 3/4 tablespoon honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
• heaping 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub with the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred the chicken in large bite-sized pieces. I tend to  use 3 chicken breasts, that have been poached and shredded, or the meat off of a rotisserie chicken.

Blanch the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Add the sugar snap or snow peas during the last minute of boiling. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain. Combine the cut chicken, asparagus, and peas in a large bowl.

Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the chicken and vegetables. Add the scallions and sesame seeds and season to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Source:Adapted from  Barefoot Contessa Parties!, also available on foodnetwork.com.

You may also like:

• Pineapple Chicken Salad
• Chicken Salad Contessa

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