Yum List : Mandarin Chicken Salad

Poached Chicken Recipe

Technique

• Rinse the chicken breasts under cold water and pat dry with paper towel.
• Season with salt and white pepper as you would if you were going to grill them.  Let sit to absorb while you prepare the poaching liquid.
• In a heavy bottom pot place the soy sauce, vinegar, water, garlic and ginger.  Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to just below.
• Place chicken in poaching liquid and poach under gentle heat (just below simmer) for 25 minutes.
• Check for doneness and remove from heat.
• Let cool to room temperature and shred like pulled pork.
• Set aside in container and in fridge until ready to serve.

Salad Composition Prep

Process

• Prepare all of the veggies according to description in recipe.
• Place in a container in the fridge until ready to mix.

Sesame Orange Dressing

Technique

• In a heavy bottom pot add the orange juice and reduce by half over medium heat.
• Remove from the stove, strain again and ice down quickly.

Note:   If frozen orange juice concentrate is available in your region, you can skip this step and just use 35 grams of concentrate.   Honestly- the end result has a cleaner- fresh orange juice forward flavour.

• Place a small measuring cup/ pitcher on a gram scale and zero it out.
• Add grapeseed oil until you reach 140 grams.
• Remove from the scale and reserve.

• Place a metal mixing bowl on top of the scale and zero it out.
• Add the above ingredients one by one starting with the orange juice reduction zeroing out the scale after each additional ingredient addition.

• Remove the bowl from the scale and slowly mix in the grapeseed oil until it has emulsified.
• Season to tase with salt and white pepper.  Set aside and reserve.

To Compose Salad

Technique

• Place the shredded chicken in a mixing bowl and cover with just enough dressing to evenly coat.  Let sit for 3 minutes.
• Add the veggie prep and 80% of the wonton chips.  Toss with the chicken and continue to dress with the dressing to your liking.
• Squeeze the fresh lime into the salad.
• Season to taste with salt and white pepper
• Place in a serving bowl either family style or divided individually.
• Garnish with remaining wonton strips, peanuts and toasted sesame seeds.