Asian Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 4 coins fresh ginger
• 2 sprigs coriander
• 3 scallions
• 1 small carrot, halved
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless chicken breasts halves, on the bone
• 4 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
• 2 kirby cucumbers, seeded and diced
• 1/4 medium jicama, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 scallion (white and green), thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup toasted cashews, chopped
• Low-Fat Ginger Dressing, recipe follows
• 1 head Boston lettuce, leaves

Directions

Put the ginger, coriander, scallions, carrot, and chicken breasts in a medium saucepan. Cover with the broth, and bring just to a boil. Lower the heat to very low and cover. Poach the chicken for 20 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove the pan from the heat, uncover, and cool the chicken in the liquid, about 30 minutes. Bone and pull the chicken into bite-size pieces. Save the broth.

Toss the chicken with the remaining salad ingredients and toss with the dressing. Wrap about 1/3 cup of the salad in a lettuce leaf. Serve 3 to 4 lettuce leaves per person with a wedge of lime if desired.

Low Fat Ginger Dressing:

1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon freshly grated peeled fresh ginger

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon Asian chili paste, such as sambal oelek

2 teaspoons Southeast Asian fish sauce

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon broth from poaching chicken

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Whisk the lime juice, ginger, soy, chili, fish sauce, salt and broth in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream, to make a dressing.

Copyright 2004 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.