Recipe: Sesame Chicken Salad With Mandarin-Ginger Vinaigrette

Our Asian-inspired salad is not only loaded with flavor, but also a snap to make. The bed of Napa cabbage, kale and carrots offer a satisfying crunch and loads of nutrients, while the cilantro, scallions and sesame elevate the flavor even further. And the vinaigrette? An easy-to-create combination of fresh mandarin orange juice, lime juice, toasted sesame oil and ginger will have your tastebuds singing. Enjoy for lunch or a simple weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

Salad:
2 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 cups shredded napa cabbage
2 cups torn kale leaves
2 mandarin oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds
1 carrot, shredded
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons fresh mandarin orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

1. To poach the chicken breasts, place them in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Place over medium-high heat and let come to a boil. Cover tightly, remove from the heat. Let stand for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the water and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to use, then shred the chicken.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, kale, orange slices, carrot, scallions and cilantro.
3. Add the shredded chicken.
4. In a small bowl, stir together the orange juice, lime juice, sesame oil, ginger and salt. Drizzle over the salad and toss well.
5. Divide the salad among bowls and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Nutrition information (per serving)

Makes 4 servings

Calories: 245
Total fat: 7 g
Saturated fat: 1g
Protein: 23 g
Carbohydrate: 30 g
Dietary fiber: 12 g
Sugar: 9 g
Added sugar: 0 g
Cholesterol: 41 mg
Sodium: 382 mg

— Developed by Sara Quessenberry for Cleveland Clinic Wellness.