Chinese Chicken Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing

Super model...she is already endorsing products at such a young age.

Ok let's get right to dinner, skip the chit chat, times a wasting, I am tired and the dishwasher still needs to be loaded and the laundry needs to be folded.

Chinese Chicken Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing
adapted from Dinners for a Year and Beyond

serves about 4--I served 2 with my modifications

3 - 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless thin cut
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups panko
1/4 flour
salt and pepper

Dressing ingredients
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce---I was out of Hoisin so I used another tbs. of BBQ sauce
juice of 1/2 small orange--comes out to 3 tbs.
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
3 tablespoons brown sugar
dash of red pepper flakes

Salad ingredients
chopped romaine lettuce
cucumber slices
red pepper strips--I used Orange
sugar snap peas
1/4 cup almonds

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Season the flour with salt and pepper.
Put the flour, beaten eggs and panko in 3 separate, shallow dishes.
Dip in the chicken in the flour ,the egg and then the panko.
Place on a baking sheet coated with foil, then coated with cooking spray (cuts down on clean up).
Spray chicken with a light coating of cooking spray.
Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes or until cooked through and lightly browned.
Set aside.
When slightly cooled, slice into strips.

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine romaine, cucumber slices, red pepper strips, and sugar snap peas. Separate salad onto 4 large plates and top with sliced chicken and almonds.
Drizzle with the dressing.

VERDICT
I really really liked this salad. It came together lightening quick. Not too much chopping. Also the dressing was very good. It has barely any oil in it and the flavor was really powerful with just a little bit. I cant believe I didn't have all the ingredients again. Bad me (hand slap). I have to say I am not a huge fan of Panko. It doesn't have a lot of flavor. I also don't like the big hunk of bread crumb. I think I need to try another brand or crunch them in the bag more or something. When you bake it, it really doesn't have much flavor without the dressing. Thankfully the dressing perked it right up. You could easily use rotisserie chicken in this dish as well and skip the whole breading and baking of the chicken. I think some mandarin oranges would be a nice addition as well and wish I would have thought of it before I was writing out my verdict. Oh well, maybe next time.