Warm Asian Glazed Chicken Salad with Ginger Sesame Dressing

Have you ever eaten a dish at a restaurant and were inspired to recreate it at home? That moment came to me at lunch on Sunday afternoon. Justin and I were at the mall and we stopped to eat a bite at Nordstrom Bistro. Ohhhh the deliciousness. I always have a difficult time selecting my meal when we eat at the Bistro, but that afternoon I decided to select a dish I had not experienced previously…the Warm Asian Glazed Chicken Salad:

Oh…Justin ordered a roast chicken ciabatta sandwich, which was also delicious:

But let’s be serious: we’re talking about the salad…

The mixture of vegetables, the szechuan glazed chicken, the crispy wontons, the salad dressing. Oh, the dressing. Anyway…I am not sure that I have had such an…experience…while eating a salad in my entire life. Perhaps it was because I was extremely hungry, perhaps it was because it was the most delicious salad ever; it is hard to say for certain. What I DID know was that I was going to have to make a valiant attempt to recreate this dish at home.

So, last night I piled our plates with a combination of spring mix and romaine (I like the contrast of the leafy greens against the crunch), then added julienne green and red peppers, carrots, and green onions. I had a sesame soy vinegarette in the refrigerator that I used to marinate chicken breasts in, and after grilling them I added a small drizzle on top of each for added flavor. A sprinkle of chow mein noodles topped everything off.

But, it was still missing the piece de resistance: the dressing. After a quick Internet search, I came across a recipe claiming to be the one that Nordstrom uses. I thought I would give it a go: perhaps I’d get lucky! And, although I don’t think it was a perfect match to the Nordstom dressing, it was very close. Mmm. Victory was mine!

Ginger Sesame Dressing

adapted from Razzle Dazzle Recipes

Warm Asian Glazed Chicken Salad with Ginger Sesame Dressing

 

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Author: Katie Compton

Serves: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 3 oz rice wine vinegar
• 1 oz soy sauce
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ tablespoon ground ginger
• ½ tablespoon dry mustard
• ½ tablespoon coarsely ground pepper
• 2 oz canola oil
• ½ tablespoon sesame oil
• ½ tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, ground mustard, and pepper. Whisk together until sugar dissolves.
2. Add canola and sesame oil and whisk to combine.
3. Pour contents into a small food processor. Add toasted sesame seeds and blend.

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Is there a particular dish at a restaurant that you would like to recreate at home?