Sesame-Miso Chicken Salad

By David Tanis

Published July 31, 2018

  • Karsten Moran for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(684)
Comments
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There’s always room for another chicken salad recipe, especially if the assembly is quick. This one calls for a whole cooked chicken, which you can roast or boil gently several hours ahead or up to 2 days in advance. (Some may choose to buy a precooked rotisserie chicken, but it can sometimes be hard to find one that is seasoned or cooked properly. If you can find a good one, go for it.) The creamy miso dressing can also be used to dress a green salad, or to replace mayonnaise on a sandwich. It also makes a great dip for vegetables.

Featured in: Not Your Childhood Chicken Salad

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 2 tablespoons Asian sesame paste or tahini

  • 4 tablespoons white (shiro) miso

  • 3 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon mirin, sake or sherry

  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger

  • ½ teaspoon sugar

  • ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

  • ½ teaspoon roasted sesame oil

  • ¼ cup vegetable oil

  • Salt and pepper

  • Small pinch of cayenne (optional)

  • 1 (3-pound) chicken, cooked

  • 2 heads small organic iceberg, Little Gems or romaine hearts

  • 2 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced ⅛-inch thick, lightly salted

  • 3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions or chives

  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

  • 1 teaspoon toasted black sesame seeds, for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

16 grams carbs; 170 milligrams cholesterol; 690 calories; 22 grams monosaturated fat; 11 grams polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 49 grams fat; 7 grams fiber; 1348 milligrams sodium; 48 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put sesame paste, miso, vinegar, mirin, ginger, sugar and lemon zest in a small mixing bowl. Whisk together until well combined. Whisk in sesame and vegetable oils. Check seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper and cayenne, if using. You should have about ⅔ cup dressing. If it seems too thick, thin with a tablespoon or 2 of water.

  2. Step 2

    Remove skin from chicken and pull all the meat from the carcass. With fingers or a knife, shred all the chicken meat into 1-inch strips and put in a medium mixing bowl. (Refrigerate or freeze any remaining skin, fat, bones and cartilage for making broth.) You should have about 4 cups shredded chicken.

  3. Step 3

    Separate the lettuce leaves and arrange on a large platter, leaving space for the chicken at the center, then scatter with cucumber slices.

  4. Step 4

    Gently toss the shredded chicken with salt and pepper. Pour all but a few tablespoons of dressing over the chicken and gently toss to coat. Transfer dressed chicken to center of platter and nap with remaining dressing. Sprinkle scallions and sesame seeds on top and serve.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
684 user ratings
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Comments

John

Since I don't eat meat, a good vegan alternative is to replace the chicken with white beans - Cannellini or similar.

nativetex

The chicken recipe sounds great except for the big slabs of cucumber. If you really can't live without cucumber, then at least trim it into matchsticks. I would prefer jicama, apple, almonds, or so many other things to add a crisp feature.

Dotty Kenul

As per Edamam's - Dressing for 4 Servings: 217 Cal, Fat 20g, Carbs 7g, Protein 3g Dressing for 6 Servings: 145 Cal, Fat 13g, Carbs 5g, Protein 2g 2 tablespoons tahini 4 tablespoons white (shiro) miso 3 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar 1 tablespoon mirin 1 teaspoon grated ginger ½ teaspoon sugar ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest ½ teaspoon roasted sesame oil ¼ cup vegetable oil Salt and pepper Small pinch of cayenne

Tatum

Replace vegetable oil with olive oil and lemon juice! And I put the cucumbers and some red onion right in - so good!

Finny

Added soy sauce garlic = umami boost

salty sav

I only added 3 tbs of miso (found it too salty otherwise) and added more scallion toasted almonds on top for texture. Also drizzled a little momofuku chili crisp oil on top. Perfect little kitchen sink recipe if you have the Asian grocery staples on hand!

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