Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe

I fell in love with Chinese Chicken Salad at a restaurant called Mimi’s. I used to go there with my mother when I visited her and we would have a nice dinner together. They had a wonderfully delicious Chinese chicken salad there and I fell in love with this cool crisp, delicious and yet filling meal. Below is not their recipe but one that I created and now eat at home.

Ingredients For Salad:

1 large head of romaine lettuce
5 wonton wrappers, cut into 1⁄4" strips
1/2 cup of thinly sliced red cabbage
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1 (11) ounce can of mandarin orange segments, drained
1/2 cup green onion, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and thinly julienned
1 lb of broiled boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

Ingredients For Salad Dressing:

4 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
4 tablespoons of brown sugar
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons of red chili sauce
2 teaspoons of freshly peeled and grated fresh ginger root
1/4 cup of sesame oil
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
Salt to taste

Instructions:

You will want to wash, trim, and slice the lettuce into 1/2 inch wide strips. Allow the lettuce to drain while you make the wontons.

To make the fried wonton strips you will want to pour enough peanut oil into a 1 quart saucepan so that it reaches a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium high heat until the thermometer reads 350 degrees F. and then add the wonton strips into the oil a little at a time and fry until crisp and lightly browned. This should take 20 to 30 seconds per batch. When finished, immediately remove the strips from the oil with a slotted spoon and then place them on some paper towels to drain. Set them aside for use later.

To make your salad dressing you will want take a medium bowl and then whisk together 4 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar, 4 tablespoons of brown sugar, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons of red chili sauce and 2 teaspoons of grated fresh ginger and then slowly drizzle in the 1/4 cup of sesame oil and the 1/4 cup of vegetable oil, whisking constantly until thoroughly mixed. You can then season with salt to your taste. It will not need a lot.

You now want to make your salad. In a medium bowl add the lettuce, cabbage, cilantro, mandarin orange slices, green onions and carrots and toss. Give the dressing a quick whisk and then add enough of the salad dressing to coat the salad nicely. Now give the salad a toss to mix the dressing in thoroughly. Now quickly place the chicken strips in a bowl and lightly toss them in some of the salad dressing as well.

The above recipe should be enough for either 2 large salads or 4 small ones. Take your salad bowl and add the tossed salad into them and then top the salad with the coated chicken slices. Now place the fried wonton strips on top of your salads and you are now finished. You many now serve and enjoy your salad.