Asian Chicken Salad with Spicy Orange Vinaigrette

- 2 chicken breast halves with skin and bone (about 1Â pound total)
- Three ¼-inch slices fresh ginger
- 1 scallion, white and green parts, coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 seedless oranges
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1½ tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon Asian hot sauce, such as sriracha
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon Asian dark sesame oil
- ½ pound dried Chinese noodles or linguine
- 1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch-thick half-moons
- 2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
- ½ red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or mint
Instructions:
Although winter is the time for rib-sticking food, there are times when a lighter meal would be appropriate— maybe you live someplace where the weather is warm, or you need a refreshing entrée to serve to company for lunch. This salad gives off bursts of flavor; however, it is the familiar but welcome taste of orange that brings it all together.
- Place the chicken, ginger, scallion, and salt in a saucepan and add enough cold water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer until the chicken loses its raw look, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 20 minutes. Drain the chicken (the broth can be reserved for Asian recipes). Let the chicken cool until easy to handle. Remove and discard the skin and bone. Pull the chicken meat into shreds.
- To make the vinaigrette, grate the zest from 1 orange into a small bowl and reserve. Cut off the peel from the oranges. Working over another bowl to collect the juices, cut between the membranes to release the orange segments. Squeeze the juice from the membranes, if necessary, to measure 2 tablespoons.
- Whisk together the orange juice and zest, soy sauce, vinegar, hoisin sauce, and hot sauce until combined. Gradually whisk in the vegetable oil, then the sesame oil.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook according to the package directions until tender. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Drain well.
- Transfer the noodles to a bowl. Add the chicken, orange segments, cucumber, scallions, and bell pepper. Add the vinaigrette and toss well. Sprinkle with the cilantro. Taste and season with soy sauce and hot sauce, as desired. Serve at room temperature.