Tag Archives: chicken

Recipe: Mediterranean Chicken/Vegetable Wrap

19 Aug

This is a recipe you can adapt in countless ways to suit omnivorous or vegetarian tastes. It is an excellent way to use up leftovers, though pan frying or grilling the chicken/vegetables just beforehand works, too.  The overriding theme is a Mediterranean one. Our kids rummage through the fridge, take out whatever appeals to them at the moment, cook what they need, and make killer wraps out of it all.

The open wrap pictured here is courtesy of my daughter, who waited very patiently to eat her lunch today until after I had taken the photo. She used a tomato-basil wrap, hummus,  leftover grilled chicken and eggplant (both of which she reheated in a small cast-iron skillet), Kalamata olives, lettuce, and tomatoes. The one constant is the hummus. Other ingredients that make frequent appearances include feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, other grilled vegetables, etc.  Fresh oregano or basil from the garden and a drizzle of Italian dressing or vinaigrette add the finishing touches.

Mediterranean Chicken/Vegetable Wrap
Servings: Flexible

Possible Ingredients

Wraps or tortillas
Hummus
Grilled/pan-fried chicken breast (marinated in olive oil, garlic, oregano, other herbs of your choice, and salt and pepper, then sliced or chopped after cooking)
Grilled/pan-fried eggplant or other vegetables
Kalamata olives (chopped)
Fresh tomatoes (chopped)
Sun-dried tomatoes (drained if in oil and sliced)
Lettuce (shredded)
Feta cheese (crumbled)
Red onions (thinly sliced)
Fresh/dried herbs (oregano or basil)
Italian dressing, or a vinaigrette of your preference

Recipe: Chinese Chicken Salad

7 Aug

Chinese Chicken Salad has undergone many iterations since it became a popular dish in the  United States early last century. One thing is certain: none of the versions appearing on US menus originated in China, where raw vegetable salads were (and are not) a prominent part of the Chinese diet. In fact, the sesame-ginger version may have come into being in California. But the ability of a dish to be adapted according to cultural preference, taste, and availability of ingredients is a key factor in its ultimate adoption, and each new dish added to a repertoire paves the way for ones that follow. So, even if this cross-cultural creation is not  “authentic,” the  combination of garlic, ginger, sesame, scallions, and soy sauce is unmistakably Asian.

This is a light dinner-time salad that somehow satisfies even the heartiest of teenage appetites. And, if that cilantro in your herb garden is nearing its peak, you can use some of it here.

Chinese Chicken Salad
Serves 8-10

4 chicken breast halves (1.5-2 lb.), sliced in half horizontally
2 tbsp. sesame seeds

Marinade
1/4 c. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 c. mirin (or dry sherry + pinch of sugar)

Salad ingredients
6 c. thinly shredded green cabbage
1/2 c. sliced scallions (about 3 scallions)
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro
2 carrots, grated
1 English cucumber, washed but unpeeled, diced into small pieces
1.5 thinly sliced hearts of romaine (about 6 c.)
1/2 c. toasted sliced almonds
chow mein noodles (optional)

Dressing
6 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
6 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp. dry ground ginger, or 1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger
1.5 tbsp. sesame oil
6 tbsp. canola oil
sprinkle chilli flakes/crushed red pepper
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Marinate chicken in marinade for about 15-30 minutes.

Toast sesame seeds in large frying pan; remove from pan and set aside.  Add about a tablespoon of canola oil to the pan and cook chicken over high heat. Remove from pan, place on a cutting board, and let cool.

Add salad ingredients (except chow mein noodles) to large salad bowl; sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. When chicken is cool, cut across the grain into bite-sized strips and add to salad bowl.

Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over salad. Toss to combine and serve immediately, with chow mein noodles on the side (if desired).