Asian Ginger Chicken Salad With Crispy Wontons

 

I'm taking a break from my impassioned, but somewhat frenzied dusting to bring you this delicious recipe.

Feel special.  Feel very, very special.  You are you know.

This salad is inspired by Panera Bread's Asian Chicken Salad, which I had a few weeks ago and just fell in love with.  I knew I had to try and recreate it at home.  It's light and refreshing, and just the kind of meal you might want to fill in with between those heavy holiday eatings. 

-I keep fresh ginger in my freezer, then use my microplane to grate it.  I just don't use fresh ginger enough to keep it in my fridge, so I have to freeze it.  It works great like this.

-I like to mix up only as much of this salad as we're going to eat at one setting.  The wontons will get soggy otherwise.

-I store my baked wontons in an airtight container at room temperature and they stay really crisp.

-Toasted almonds would be great in this, too.  Panera Bread has almonds in theirs.

-The measurements are imprecise except for the dressing.  Use as much or as little lettuce, onion, chicken and wontons as you'd like.

Asian Ginger Chicken Salad with Crispy Wontons

Printable Recipe

Dressing:

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup canola oil

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

3 heaping tablespoons freshly grated ginger

2 minced garlic cloves or 2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

12 wonton wraps

Nonstick cooking spray

Kosher salt

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

About 6-8 cups of chopped romaine lettuce

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

Place all ingredients for the dressing in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well. 

Place the chicken in a zip lock freezer bag and add about 1/4 of the dressing; close bag and squeeze to coat chicken.  Marinate in refrigerator for about 2 hours.  Store remaining dressing in fridge until needed.

Cut wontons in half diagonally.  Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and lay wontons in a single layer.  Spray with cooking spray, then sprinkle with a small amount of kosher salt and the sesame seeds.  Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Grill chicken on a grill or in a grill pan until done.  Thinly slice.

Place the lettuce and onions in a bowl and add the chicken.  Break up about 3/4 of the wontons and add to the salad.  Drizzle with the dressing and toss to coat.  Serve with remaining unbroken wontons.