Sesame Chicken Salad (Printable version)
Sesame-glazed chicken over mixed greens with crisp veggies and tangy sesame-peanut dressing, ready in 35 minutes.
# Ingredient List:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
03 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
04 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
05 - 1 tsp honey
06 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
07 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds
→ Salad
08 - 5 cups mixed greens (romaine, spinach, arugula)
09 - 1 large carrot, julienned
10 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
11 - 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
12 - 3 green onions, sliced
13 - 1/3 cup shelled edamame (optional)
→ Sesame Dressing
14 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
15 - 3 tbsp rice vinegar
16 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
17 - 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
18 - 2 tsp smooth peanut butter (or tahini for nut-free)
19 - 1 small garlic clove, grated
20 - 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl. Add chicken breasts and marinate for at least 10 minutes.
02 - Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium heat. Sear the marinated chicken for 5-7 minutes per side until cooked through. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.
03 - Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant.
04 - Whisk together toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey or maple syrup, peanut butter (or tahini), grated garlic, and grated ginger until smooth and emulsified. Adjust seasoning to taste.
05 - Arrange mixed greens on a large serving platter. Top with julienned carrots, sliced red bell pepper, sliced cucumber, green onions, and edamame.
06 - Arrange the sliced chicken over the assembled salad. Drizzle generously with sesame dressing and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The dressing comes together in about sixty seconds and tastes like something you would pay fourteen dollars for at a trendy lunch spot.
- It is the rare salad that actually fills you up without weighing you down, thanks to that generous portion of sesame glazed chicken.
02 -
- Do not rush the chicken resting step because slicing too early sends all those juices running onto your board instead of staying in the meat where they belong.
- The dressing will thicken as it sits in the refrigerator, so whisk in a splash of water or rice vinegar to loosen it if you are making it ahead.
03 -
- Freeze your ginger root and grate it straight from frozen for a fine paste that melts invisibly into dressings and marinades.
- Warm the peanut butter for ten seconds in the microwave before whisking it into the dressing so it blends smoothly without clumping.