With the weather warming up and the kids out of school who wants to spend more time in a sweltering kitchen than necessary?
Not me. Which is why I tend to supplement my weekly dinner menu with hearty salads during the hot summer months. It gives me a chance to spend less time in the kitchen and more time outside.
The following recipe is one of my favorites. It provides a twist on ordinary chicken salad and doesn’t include a drop of mayonnaise. Besides being healthy (or at least healthier than traditional chicken salad) it is also a breeze to make because you can cheat by using those fresh rotisserie (or roasted) chickens from your local supermarket or from the deli section at Wal-Mart.
The cooked chicken makes the salad hearty enough to serve as a satisfying meal. It also makes the perfect addition to a summer potluck.
CRUNCHY THAI CHICKEN SALAD
Ingredients:
1/2 red cabbage, chopped
2 cups julienned carrots
4 cups shredded won bok
2 medium Japanese cucumbers, julienned
2 cups sliced chicken breasts
1/2 package crispy wonton strips (available in your grocer’s Asian food section)
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
Cilantro, to garnish
1/4 cup chopped green onions
Peanut Dressing (recipe follows)
Ingredients for Peanut Dressing:
2/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
6 tablespoons milk
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons honey
6 tablespoons water
Dash hot pepper sauce
Salt to taste
Directions:
In a food processor, pulse peanut butter and milk until well blended (it will still be very thick). Add remaining ingredients and continue to process.
Additional milk may be added for thinner consistency.
Directions for Salad:
Put vegetables in large bowl. Garnish with chicken, wonton strips, peanuts, cilantro, and green onions. Add Peanut Dressing to each serving.
Serves 10.
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