Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

Ingredients

Salad

• 4 bone-in chicken thighs, about 1 ½ pounds
• 1 medium head romaine lettuce
• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 1 small apple
• 8 snow peas 6. 1 (10-ounce) can mandarin oranges, packed in juice

Dressing

• 2 Tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 Tablespoons canola oil
• 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

Optional Ingredients

• ¼ cup slivered almonds

Materials

• Large pot
• Sharp knife
• Can opener
• Cutting board
• Measuring spoons
• Forks
• Large bowl
• Food thermometer

Instructions

1. Remove skin and trim any excess fat from chicken thighs. In a large pot over high heat, add chicken and cover with water. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until a food thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh without touching the bone reads 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool. While the chicken cooks and cools, prepare rest of salad.
2. Rinse lettuce. Pat dry. Tear into bite-sized pieces.
3. Rinse bell pepper. Remove core and seeds. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
4. Rinse apple. Cut into thin slices. Then, cut slices into matchsticks.
5. Rinse snow peas. Slice thinly on the diagonal.
6. Drain mandarin oranges, reserving juice.
7. In a large bowl, add peanut butter, oil, soy sauce, vinegar, and 1 Tablespoon reserved mandarin orange juice. Mix until well blended.
8. When the chicken is cool, shred with two forks.
9. Add lettuce, bell pepper, apple, snow peas, drained mandarin oranges and chicken to bowl with dressing. Toss to coat. If using almonds, sprinkle on top of salad now.

Chef’s Notes

• If you have leftover cooked chicken, use 1 ½ cups in place of the chicken thighs.
• Use 4 cups spinach instead of romaine, if you prefer.
• For extra color and flavor, add grated carrots.
• Plan ahead for leftovers. Set aside some salad and dressing before tossing together. Store in separate containers. Toss just before serving.
• You can use rice vinegar instead of distilled white vinegar.
• When they are in season, use fresh oranges or clementines in place of canned mandarin oranges. Use 1 Tablespoon orange juice in place of reserved mandarin orange juice in step 7.