Ingredients
|
1 package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
(4-6 pieces, about one pound) 1 head of won bok (aka, napa cabbage) 1 red pepper, very thinly sliced into strips 3-4 few handfuls of shredded carrot 1 bunch of green onions, finely chopped 1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped Roasted sesame seeds |
Dressing
3T peanut butter, smooth or chunky, doesn’t matter 3/8 (1/4 plus 1/2 of the quarter cup) raw sugar 1/4 cup American vinegar 2T shoyu About 1/2 cup canola oil 1 package of wonton chips (3.5 ounces) OR 1 package one-ton chips (4 ounces) if you can get them Black pepper to taste |
What To Do
Steam chicken. Do not add salt or pepper because the dressing has lots of flavor. Let cool and shred. This can be done a few days ahead, and then stored in the fridge.
Finely chop the won bok into ribbons and toss into a large salad bowl. Add sliced red peppers, shredded carrots, green onions, and cilantro. Toss in roasted sesame seeds to your liking.
To make the dressing whisk together everything except oil and pepper. The peanut butter will be clumpy, so the whisk is best to break everything up to make it smooth. Whisk in the canola oil slowly until the dressing is the consistency of runny ice cream, give or take a half cup.
Add dressing in increments and toss. Stop when everything is just coated. Add wonton chips and pepper to taste and toss again. Eat and be happy.
Finely chop the won bok into ribbons and toss into a large salad bowl. Add sliced red peppers, shredded carrots, green onions, and cilantro. Toss in roasted sesame seeds to your liking.
To make the dressing whisk together everything except oil and pepper. The peanut butter will be clumpy, so the whisk is best to break everything up to make it smooth. Whisk in the canola oil slowly until the dressing is the consistency of runny ice cream, give or take a half cup.
Add dressing in increments and toss. Stop when everything is just coated. Add wonton chips and pepper to taste and toss again. Eat and be happy.
Notes
- Round (not-Asian) cabbage also works, but I prefer the crispier won bok.
- Do not recommend swapping in Costco chicken because it will make things too salty.
- I was a little skeptical making peanut butter the base of the dressing, but it works so well.
- All the above-consulted recipes recommend Japanese vinegar, but I opted for American vinegar because otherwise things get too sweet.
- One-ton chips are a play on words for Won Ton, and still made in Hawaii by a local family-owned business.
- Honestly, I’m don’t know why it’s called Chinese chicken salad. I looked at cookbooks from a Japanese Buddhist Temple in California, from my Mom's American Episcopalian church in Hawaii, and from a 1984 Leeward (O’ahu) Community College Staff, to name a few, and they all refer to variants of the salad this way.
- It truly reflects the mixed-plate-ness of Hawaii food: Asian cabbage, all-world veggies, American peanut butter and vinegar, and Hawaii crunchies.
