Asian Chicken Salad with Soy-Ginger-Sesame Vinaigrette

I am really proud of my massive cache of produce that we purchased at the store today.  After I posted last night's blog I found a recipe for Asian Chicken Salad and reallllly wanted to make that for dinner tonight, so I changed my menu a bit--see, it's flexible! 

I tried a couple of recipes from this book and didn't like them at all. I was pleasantly surprised to LOVE this one. My husband said it was as good as anything he could find in a restaurant.

Asian Chicken Salad  with Soy-Ginger-Sesame Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette 

3T seasoned rice vinegar

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic (half a small clove)

1t finely minced fresh ginger (I just grated a bit over the bowl)

1t soy sauce (I used reduced sodium)

1/8t salt

2t sugar

2t toasted sesame oil

3T canola, soy or peanut oil (I used canola b/c I had it on hand)

Salad

1 pound romaine lettuce (a large head or "hearts")

2 cooked chicken breasts (you can shred, or just cube it)

1 1/2C (4oz) shredded red cabbage

1C (about 3 oz) mung bean sprouts (I used alfalfa sprouts)

2 medium carrots, shredded (truthfully I grated 1 1/2 before I almost grated my knuckle and just cut it up)

2 scallions (white and tender greens part) cut into very thin strips about 1-in long (I used green onions b/c umm...thats all Safeway had)

1/2C loosely packed cilantro leaves

2/3C cashews or silvered almonds (I used almonds and they were sooooo good!)

On top of this I also added some chow main noodles for crunchy goodness. I forgot, but my husband will tomorrow, add manderine orange (Clementine in his case) over the top of the salad.  If you like spicy dressing, add a little Chinese chili oil to the dressing. 

My produce cache! 

salad in the bowl before I dished it out...lots of almonds on top

half of my salad...I was really hungry