Seared Sesame Chicken and Miso Kale Salad

COMMENTS

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    [post_date] => 2015-07-20 10:30:19
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    [post_title] => Seared Sesame Chicken and Miso Kale Salad
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07.20

It's not always clear why certain moments are forever imprinted at the forefront of our minds. And why many other seemingly important moments fade. I think, perhaps, it has something to do with novelty. A tone of voice, a color, a feeling—when we anticipate sameness and we get something poignantly NEW, we take note. We remember.

Unsurprisingly for me, memories surrounding food are some of the most poignant and unforgettable. One such meal is the inspiration for today's post.

In Atlantic Beach, Florida, there is a restaurant called Ragtime. In said restaurant almost 20 years ago, I experienced a Sesame Chicken Salad that rocked my world. This is no ordinary salad, people. For me, it redefined the concept of a salad. The chicken arrives in moist tender form, coated in sesame seeds and panfried to crunchy-bits heaven. Underneath the chicken is warm, wilted spinach tossed in a creamy miso vinaigrette, and the interplay of textures is truly addicting. As we enjoyed meals at Ragtime over the years, I never strayed from this salad.

The Ragtime tradition stopped when my brothers and I reached our teens and our limit for kid-centric restaurants. However, a few weeks ago, my mom and I happened by Ragtime on a trip to Jacksonville. The Sesame-chicken-memories came back, almost tactile in their strength. As my darling fiancé and I are in the beginning stages of creating a life together, I thought it would be fun to recreate the salad with an LL Balanced spin, so he could share in the memory as well.

My version of this amazing salad is, of course, completely nutritious and perfect for a family-friendly weeknight meal. It has a few steps to it, but nothing is difficult, and it comes together quickly. Miso paste is simply a fermented form of soybeans and it has a incredibly delicious, savory umami flavor. If you cannot find it (check ethnic grocery sections), you could absolutely leave it out and add dijon mustard instead.

This was a total home-run in our house, and the shallots bring the dish to another level, so don't skip that step! I chose to make a cold kale salad as the base instead of warm spinach a la the original, because it's more summery and keeps well in the fridge. I love how massaged/marinated kale gets better every day!

I hope you and your family can enjoy this healthy, delicious meal together and create your own memories around it. Bon Appetit!

TOTAL TIME :1hour

6-8servings

INGREDIENTS

SEARED | SESAME | CHICKEN
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (rec. organic, free range)
3 large eggs (rec. organic, free-range)
1 cup almond flour
1/3 cup sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter (rec. grassfed, sub olive oil)
1/4 cup olive oil
MISO | KALE | SALAD
10 cups packed kale pieces (2 large bunches)
1 1/2 tablespoons white miso paste
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons tamari (sub soy sauce)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

DIRECTIONS

SEARED | SESAME | CHICKEN

Slice chicken breasts in half to create a total of 8 pieces. Place pieces between two layers of saran wrap and pound lightly to a 1 inch thickness. Crack eggs into a large plastic ziplock bag and whisk with a fork. Add chicken, seal and coat chicken with egg.
On a large plate or in a shallow bowl, combine almond flour, sesame seeds, sea salt and garlic powder.
Prepare a large plate. open bag with chicken tenders. Dredge each tender in the flour/seed mixture, shaking off excess. Plate on plate. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
When all tenders are coated, prepare another large plate lined with paper towel. Heat a saute pan to medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When oil is shimmering, add as many tenders as can fit in the pan. Sear until tenders stop sticking to the pan and then flip with a spatula (approx. 3 mins). Cook other side in the same manner.
Place saute pan in the oven (carefully) and cook for 10 minutes. Check to make sure tenders are no longer pink on the inside and then remove from pan and allow to rest. Repeat with remaining tenders.
SHALLOT: Heat a small saute pan to medium head and add butter or oil. When butter is melted or oil is lightly shimmering, add sliced shallots. Cook until fragrant and softened, approximately 4-5 minutes.

MISO | KALE | SALAD

Place all remaining ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour 1/2 of your dressing on your kale and use your fingers to massage into the leaves until they are soft. Set aside remaining dressing.
Tear kale into 2-3 inch pieces and rinse in a colander. Transfer to a large salad bowl.
TO ASSEMBLE || Place a serving of kale into a bowl or onto a salad plate. Top with 1-2 chicken tenders, sliced or whole. Garnish with shallots and extra sesame seeds.