I think at the end of the day I’d have to say with confidence that I’m a fusion cook.  No matter what the combinations or origins of my recipes may be, I have to toss in something out of somewhere else, just for fun. by far my favorite inspiration is Asian cuisine.  The mix of subtle flavors with bold accents is amazing, versatile and fast, all things which my busy schedule and I embrace.

This dish was simply a throw-together dinner.  I had chicken, i had salad greens and I had an orange, this is what came of those ingredients.  Totally unplanned, unfettered by preconception or planning, it’s a simple tasty meal that easily serves as a main course in its own right and honestly could only be made more perfect by sharing it with someone else.

Yield: 4 servings

Sesame-Orange Chicken Salad Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 – 3/4 lb. boneless-skinless chicken breast
• The juice of 1 medium orange
• 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
• 2 cups field greens
• 3 scallions, cut in 1/2-inch segments on the bias
• 1 tsp. grated ginger
• 1 tsp. seasoned rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp peanut oil
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tbsp peanut oil in an oven proof skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Sear both sides of chicken, then place in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until juices run clear and meat is no longer pink. Remove from skillet and allow to rest 5 minutes, then cut in 1/2-inch cubes.
2. Heat the same skillet over medium flame. Add the juice from 1/2 of the orange and scrape the bottom of the pan to clean up all of the brown bits. Add 1 tsp. sesame oil, rice vinegar and ginger. Whisk vigorously. Return chicken to pan and toss to coat with remaining liquid. season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the juice from the other half of the orange, 1 tsp. sesame oil and 1 tsp. rice wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Add field greens and scallions, toss gently with fingers to coat.
4. Arrange 1/2 of the greens on a serving plate in a loose mound. Place 1/2 of chicken on plate from center of greens toward outside of plate. Garnish with a few scallion tops.
5. Serve and Enjoy.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 533Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 169mgSodium: 274mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 5gSugar: 11gProtein: 65g

I think this would have benefited greatly from a few orange segments, either in the salad or arranged around the plate with some orange zest in the dressing and that’s how I’ll make it next time.

For those that will ask why I didn’t just cube the chicken and then brown it off in the pan; it’s because I didn’t want any color on the chicken.  if you don’t mind a bit of color, feel free to cut it first, but I enjoy the look and subtler flavor of this one.

Links to other recipes like this:

• Sesame-Ginger Chicken Salad, from Eating Out loud
• Sesame Orange Chicken, from Simply Recipes