Sarasota's Chinese Chicken Salad

Ingredients

Chicken

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut in bite size pieces)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup flour (all purpose)
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• vegetable oil to saute the chicken

Dressing

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup cilantro
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped fine you can even find it pre-chopped these days next to the garlic which will work better than the ground dry (fresh ginger is very important for this dish)
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Salad

• 1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped well
• 1 1/2 cups chow mein noodles
• 3 carrots, grated (I buy the grated carrots in a bag, I often keep those on had for salads and even on sandwiches which are great)
• 1 red onion (cut in quarters and thin sliced)

Toppings

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2/3 cup slivered almond

Directions

1. 1

   Dressing -- I make the day before. Just add everything to a small tupperware container and shake. Set in the fridge until you are ready to make the salad.

2. 2

   Almonds -- I also make these the day ahead, so all you have to worry about if the chicken and putting the salad together. Simply melt the butter in a small non stick saute pan and cook on medium heat until golden brown. Then add in the brown sugar and stir until melted. Remove to a piece of parchment paper or foil to let cool. Make sure to spread out the almonds out, otherwise they will stick together. Just let them cool and store in a small baggie.

3. 3

   Chicken -- I marinade the chicken in just buttermilk. One (1) hour up to 4 or 5. The smaller pieces don't take as long.

4. 4

   In a large baggie, or you can use a small bowl if you want, add the flour, cornstarch, sesame seeds, paprika and salt and mix well. Shake or just lightly wipe off some of the buttermilk from the chicken and then dredge the flour mixture. Heat a large (non stick or cast iron for me works best for this pan to medium high heat and add the oil. When the oil gets hot, add the chicken and cook until golden brown. Remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

5. 5

   Salad -- Add the chopped iceberg lettuce, the chow mein noodles, red onion and the shredded carrots and toss well in a large salad bowl. Add the dressing and mix to combine. Top with the warm chicken and the caramelized almonds and enjoy!