Asian Chicken Stir-Fry with Sesame Salad

Ok, first thing off, this is one of the more generic names I think one could possibly come up with for a dish. Second, this was a fabulous summer supper that I somehow managed to ad-lib my way through. Third, it's an opportunity to show off one of my new favorite ingredients; Chinese Black Vinegar.

The heat and humidity finally made their way north to Michigan last week and it was pretty stickyhot. Now, I'm used to all this, being from Georgia, but that doesn't mean that one enjoys it. When I think "light" suppers, two of the things that leap out at me are "Stir-fry" and "salads". Yes, the menu planners at TGI Fridays would be so proud, but they work well for a reason. In fact, they work very well together, if you put them together correctly.

Plus, its something to do with the ubiquitous boneless skinless chicken breasts.


Asian Chicken Stir-Fry w/ Sesame Salad:

Basics:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
~4-5 cups mesculin (or 1-2 bag salads of your choice)

Marinade:

1/2 cup toasted sesame oil
2/3 cup Chinese black vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp. Japanese Seven Spice blend
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp yellow mustard
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Prepare marinade in 1 gallon ziploc bag and set aside.

Cut chicken breasts into 1/2 inch wide strips of various lengths. no need for uniformity.

Add chicken to marinade and refridgerate for at least one hour.

After an hour, pull out your favorite wok or skillet (mine is a high-carbon steel one that I found at a Korean grocery store for about $10) and add about 1 tbsp. of canola or other high-heat oil and coat the bottom. Put over high heat.

As the skillet is heating, make the sesame salad dressing, which is a paired down version of the marinade.

Sesame Dressing:

1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp black vinegar
1 tsp. Japanese Seven Spice
1 tsp. yellow mustard

Whisk well to combine.

Drain the chicken from the marinade and introduce it to the wonderful world of thermal conductivity. It will make quite a sizzle as it hits the wok, but that's what we're going for. As hot as your range-top can get it.

Stir constantly!

The chicken is "done" when it firms up and gives good resistances to pokes from your spoon. This will vary depending on your heat level; for me, it took about 8 minutes. Remember to keep stirring!

Dispense chicken to a serving plate and allow to cool for a moment. Now, we prepare the plates with the salad base, drizzling on a bit of the dressing, enough to coat the leaves, not drown them in a puddle.

Now, this part is optional, but it makes it look oh so fancy. Sprinkle on a mixture of white and black seasme seeds. They'll add a lot of ritz and a bit of nutty crunch to the salad. Toast them if you really want to show off.

When the chicken is no longer rocket hot, plate over the center of the salad and serve.


Recommended pairings: Any good wine for a stir-fry would work here, like a dry Riesling or pinot blanc, but honestly, I'd just as soon have a good Asian beer like Asahi or Sapporo. Your call.


Hope you like it.