Chinese Chicken Salad
Fried wonton strips add crunch to this full-meal salad, which is chock-full of vegetables and tender pieces of chicken, all tossed with an Asian-inspired vinaigrette.
Ingredients:
For the vinaigrette:
- 1 Tbs. minced shallot
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 Tbs. soy sauce
- 1 Tbs. honey
- 1/2 cup canola or peanut oil
For the fried wonton strips:
- Canola or peanut oil for frying
- 10 wonton wrappers, cut into 1/8-inch strips
- Kosher salt, to taste
For the chicken:
- 3 Tbs. rice vinegar
- 2 Tbs. soy sauce
- 1 Tbs. Sriracha sauce
- 2 green onions, white portion only, halved
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
- 1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger, smashed
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. canola or peanut oil
- 2 chicken breast halves, each about 6 oz., thinly sliced
- 1 head napa cabbage, about 12 oz., thinly sliced
- 2 carrots, peeled and julienned
- 2 green onions, green portion only, thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and julienned
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Directions:
To make the vinaigrette, in a bowl, whisk together the shallot, vinegar, soy sauce and honey. Slowly whisk in the oil. Set aside.
To make the fried wonton strips, line a baking sheet with paper towels. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, pour in oil to a depth of 2 inches and heat to 350°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Working in batches, fry the wonton strips until crispy and golden brown, about 1 minute per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried wontons to the prepared baking sheet and season with salt. Set aside.
To prepare the chicken, in a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, Sriracha, green onions, garlic, ginger and the 1/4 cup oil. Place the chicken in a sealable plastic bag, pour in the marinade and seal the bag. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the marinade.
In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the 2 Tbs. oil. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, green onions, bell pepper, bean sprouts and chicken, and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with some of the vinaigrette and toss to coat well, adding more vinaigrette to taste. Transfer to a platter and garnish with the fried wonton strips and cilantro leaves. Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.
Williams-Sonoma Kitchen