Asian Chicken Salad with Peanut Vinaigrette

So who’s planning to start the year with some healthy eating?

You too? Well I guess we’re all in the same boat here. Good news, I’ve got the most delicious salad I’ve ever made to share with you today.

Y’know how some people say that diet food doesn’t taste good? Well. That isn’t true. And I’m going to prove it to you as soon as you taste this salad.

Let’s first step back so I can tell you what it’s like to live in my head. It was about 2 in the morning and I was finally drifting off to sleep. Sadly for me, this is the time of day when I often have my best ideas. (Does this happen to anyone else?!) So there I am in bed, and I have this super cool idea. What would happen, I wonder, if I make a vinaigrette with actual peanuts in it?

I loved the idea, but I had a dilemma. If I rolled over and went to sleep, I might never remember this amazing idea again. But if I wake myself up enough to turn my phone on and write a note, it will be forever before I get to sleep again.

Eventually, good food won over sleep. (Are you starting to see a pattern emerge here? No? Good.) I wrote the idea down, then finally got to sleep. I may have been extra tired the next day, or maybe I was just dreaming about the fabulous salad I was planning to make.

Either way, all of this was worth it, because I’ve got the most amazing salad recipe to share with you folks. I may or may not have made it four times already. But like I said, make this and you’ll understand everything.

Dieting tastes good. I promise.

Asian Chicken Salad with Peanut Vinaigrette:

Ingredients:
for the peanut vinaigrette:
(Adapted from Martha Stewart)
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
1/4 cup rice vinegar
Juice of 1 lime or 1 1/2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 Tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon honey
3 Tablespoons canola oil

for the chicken:
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, pounded thin (or cut in half along the width)
1/4 cup peanut vinaigrette (above)

for the salad:
Feel free to adjust the veggies according to your liking!
4-5 cups romaine lettuce
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1 red pepper, diced small
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Peanuts, for sprinkling

Instructions:
For the vinaigrette:
Blend all ingredients except for the canola oil in a blender until mostly blended. With the blender running, slowly drizzle the canola oil into the mixture until dressing is thick and creamy. (There may be some small peanut pieces remaining, that’s fine.)

For the chicken:
Marinate the chicken in a quarter of a cup of the peanut vinaigrette. (Reserve the rest to use as salad dressing.) Let the chicken marinate for a couple of hours.
Grill or pan fry (spray is enough, no need for additional oil) the chicken on a medium low flame until lightly browned on both sides and cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool slightly.
Cut the chicken into cubes. Set aside.

To assemble the salad:
In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, vegetables, cubed chicken and remaining dressing. Toss to coat everything with the dressing. Top with peanuts.
Note: for a fancier presentation, slice the chicken and serve on top of the salad.

Enjoy!

Hope everyone’s new year is off to a fabulous start! Come back soon, I have lots more deliciousness to share with you! -Miriam

PS: Did you know I am giving away a copy of my favorite source of cookie recipes? Yep! Go enter!