Mandarin-Pineapple-Chicken Wraps

This dish is adapted from an internet recipe from several years ago.  I no longer remember the source, but this makes a delicious light lunch with a lot of different textures and crunch going on.  I highly recommend just a light drizzle of sesame oil – the mild, smoky flavor is wonderful.

• Servings: 4
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• 4 burrito size wraps
• 6 oz. cream cheese, divided
• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
• Sesame oil for drizzling
• 2 green onions, chopped, including green part
• ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
• 8 oz. can of pineapple tidbits, drained*
• 8-10 oz. can of mandarin oranges, drained*
• ½ cup salted cashews

*Save the drained juice for other uses – too good to throw away.  I always have a jar in the freezer to save bits of drained juice and just mix it together to use in gelatin desserts.

Place burrito wrap on a flat surface and spread burrito with ¼ of the cream cheese.

Add ½ cup of chicken breast, drizzle lightly with sesame oil.  Add ¼ of green onions,

bell pepper, pineapple, oranges

and salted cashews.

Fold top and bottom of wrap, roll from one side to make a tight roll.

Cover with plastic wrap.  Repeat with remaining three wraps.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

When ready to serve, remove plastic wrap, place burrito on plate and cut in half on diagonal.

4 servings 

Spicy Asian Chicken Salad

This salad was adapted from one on The Pioneer Woman Cooks – Tasty Kitchen.  I made a few changes according to my family’s preferences and what I had on hand.

The sweet chili sauce is similar to a sweet and sour sauce but is fairly hot.  The way it is distributed through the salad, just a bit of the hot flavor comes through.

• Servings: 6
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• Two boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• ½ cup Teriyaki sauce or marinade
• 5 ounces, weight Lo Mein noodles or spaghetti
• ¼ cup Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
• 6 cups salad greens
• ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• ½ yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 Tblsp.sesame seeds, toasted*

For the dressing  (makes one cup of dressing)

• 1/3 cup Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup canola oil

Place the chicken breasts in a glass dish or Ziploc bag and pour in the teriyaki sauce/marinade.

Cover/seal and place in refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to a couple of hours, turning occasionally. Grill the chicken breast over a hot grill or cook in a grill pan on the stovetop until cooked through.

Set aside to rest. When they are cool, cut the breasts crosswise into strips.

While the chicken is cooking, place the noodles/spaghetti in boiling salted water and cook until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. In a bowl, mix the cool spaghetti noodles with chili sauce. Set in the refrigerator to chill while assembling the salad.

In a large bowl, mix together the salad greens, red bell pepper and yellow bell pepper.

For the dressing, in a small bowl mix the sweet chili sauce, lemon juice, ginger, garlic and salt. Whisk in the canola oil until combined.  If dressing is made ahead of time, refrigerate but allow to come to room temperature and whisk before serving.

For each serving, place one heaping cup of salad greens mixture onto six serving plates.  Top each with 1/6th of the cold chili noodles and a 1/6th  of the chicken breast slices.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Pass dressing for each person to drizzle over the salad. 

Notes:
*To toast sesame seeds, place seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Shake the pan frequently. Watch carefully, it only takes 4-5 minutes.

If you have any leftover dressing it will keep refrigerated for about a week.

Slightly Asian Slaw

This salad is my version of several recipes for an Asian-type slaw.  It’s very flavorful and goes nicely with any kind of sandwich.  Also, I like the fact that it can be served immediately rather than having to prepare it an hour or two in advance of a meal.

• Servings: 4
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• 1 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
• 2 Tblsp. peanut oil
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• ¼ tsp. Mongolian Fire Oil (opt.)
• 1 Tblsp. rice vinegar
• ½ Tblsp. granulated sugar
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 3 green onions, chopped (white and green part)
• 1/4 cup grated carrots
• 1 Tblsp. peanuts
• 1 Tblsp. snipped cilantro

Place peanut butter in a small jar with a lid. Add peanut oil, sesame oil, Mongolian Fire Oil, vinegar and sugar.  Whisk with a fork…

…and then put a lid on the jar and shake vigorously.

In a large bowl, toss the shredded cabbage, onions and carrots together.   Salad can be covered and refrigerated at this point.

When ready to serve, add peanuts, cilantro and dressing.  Toss well.

4 side-salad servings