June 2012 Oriental Chicken Salad

So, Tisha's spinach salad was so good and with summer coming, I thought I'd do one of our favorite dinner salads for June.  We usually serve fresh rolls with the salad. 

Oriental Chicken Salad—Yield 8 servings

½ c. soy sauce

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp sesame oil

4-5 green onions, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 ½ -2  lb chicken breasts, cut in tender size pieces

Large bowl of mixed salad greens (½ spinach/½ dark leaf lettuce is good)

½ c. red onion, diced

1 tsp rice vinegar

22 oz mandarin oranges, drained

½ c. sunflower seeds

½ c. chow mien noodles

Sesame-Ginger Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Combine first 6 and marinate chicken for 2-8 hours.  Boil for 15 minutes and then grill or broil.  Cut into strips.  Combine remaining ingredients on a platter.  Top with sliced chicken.  Serve with dressing.  

For the freezer meal, I will have the chicken par-boiled and then frozen.  You will either need to grill it or broil it until it is completely cooked and then thinly slice it for the salad.  We put it on the salad warm, but you can do it early and chill it if you prefer.  I will supply everything but the greens.  If anyone wants fresh spinach for their salad, call me, we are eating it as fast as we can from the garden and it is getting away from us already!   

Sesame-Ginger Vinaigrette—Yield 2 c.

3 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger

¾ c. rice vinegar

3 Tbsp soy sauce

¾ c. oil

3 Tbsp sesame oil

2 tsp orange zest

Combine and refrigerate until serving.