Asian Chicken Salad with Lemon Peanut Ginger Dressing

It’s hard to beat a cold, crisp salad during warm spring and summer days and this one starts your week off in a most delicious way. Loaded with tender chunks of chicken plus a handful of garden goodness, all tossed in a tangy and nutty citrus dressing – it’s a tantalizing mix of color and flavor!

I frequently have friends reach out for recipes – which I love! It often stirs a memory and sends me digging through my files and cookbooks for both old and new ideas to whip up. This is an updated version of an old recipe that’s been in my files for years. While I loved the original, it seemed the volume could be turned up a notch or two, starting with the dressing. This dressing starts with a great extra-virgin olive oil then blends beautifully alongside a rich sesame oil. Add a light, lively rice vinegar plus fresh lemon – using both the juice and zest – and the flavor is brightened in a most refreshing way.

For a pop, use ground and fresh ginger plus a dash of heat from sriracha sauce. Then deepen the flavors and up the nuttiness with a scoop of peanut butter, bringing a rich creaminess to the dressing.

Toss chunks of shredded chicken into a bed of Napa cabbage, sweet red bell pepper, crispy snow peas, and scallions sprinkled with toasted almonds, sesame seeds, and Raman noodles. We love using Napa cabbage for this salad. It’s a bit sweeter and more tender than green or red cabbage and holds up well once dressed, delivering plenty of crunch.

It’s colorful, it’s tasty, and it’s a delightfully easy feast!

Asian Chicken Salad with Lemon Peanut Ginger Dressing

For the Lemon Peanut Ginger Dressing:

¾ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons sesame oil

6 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sriracha sauce

Zest of 1 lemon, about 1 teaspoon

Juice from 1 lemon, about 2 to 3 tablespoons

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1-½ tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

½ teaspoon chopped garlic

¼ cup peanut butter

4 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon Thai ginger salt*

Pour the olive oil and sesame oil into a blender along with the rice vinegar and the sriracha sauce. Toss in the lemon juice and zest.

Add the ground ginger, fresh ginger, and garlic along with the peanut butter, sugar, black pepper, kosher salt, and ginger salt.

Process starting on low for about 10 seconds then on medium-high until blended, about 20 to 30 seconds.

Makes 1-¾ cups dressing.

*Thai ginger salt can be found in specialty food markets and online. If you can’t locate it just use 1 teaspoon kosher salt.

For the salad:

4 cups poached or roasted chicken breast

1 head Napa cabbage, chopped, about 4 to 6 cups

6 scallions, sliced thin

1 red bell pepper, sliced thin

2 cups snow peas, blanched for 1 minute in boiling water then cooled in an ice bath

4 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds

6 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

2 packages Raman noodles, uncooked and broken into smaller pieces

In a large bowl or on a large platter combine the chicken along with the cabbage, scallions, bell pepper, snow peas, slivered almonds, sesame seeds, and Raman noodles.

Top with about 1 cup of the Lemon Peanut Ginger Dressing. Toss to coat well, adding more dressing to suit your taste.

To toast sesame seeds, place them in a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently until golden in color, about 8 minutes.

Serves 4 to 6.