Spinach Salad with Chicken and Cashews

By Heritage330

Ingredients

• For the vinairette:
• 4 Tbs. rice vinegar
• 2 Tbs. soy sauce
• 2 Tbs. peanut oil
• 4 tsp. grated or minced fresh ginger
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. Asian sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Pinch of red pepper
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• For the chicken:
• 1 Tbs. peanut oil
• 3 chicken breasts
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• For the salad:
• 1/2 cup cashews, chopped
• 1 1/2 cup peanut oil
• 10 wonton wrappers, cut into strips
• 10 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Make the vinaigrette:

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook the chicken:

Heat the peanut oil. Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken and cook until light golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer chicken breasts to the oven, and make until chicken is cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let cool. Remove and discard the skin and bones. Cut each chicken breast diagonally into thin slices and set aside.

Make the salad:

While the chicken cools, scatter the cashews on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until golden and fragrent, 7 to 9 minutes. Let cool.

Pour the peanut oil into a small saucepan and heat over medium high heat. Fry half of the strips until light golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Season with a light sprinkling of salt. Fry the remaining wonton strips, drain and season with salt.

In a large bowl, toss the vinaigrette with the spinach, chicken, and scallions. Divide the salad among four plates, garnish each with the fried wontons and cashews.