Chicken Salad With Fennel Daikon And Scallions Recipes

CHICKEN SALAD WITH FENNEL, DAIKON AND SCALLIONS

Steps:

• Simmer the chicken breasts in white wine and chicken stock until they are cooked, about 15 minutes.
• Wash and trim the fennel. Wash and peel the radish. Wash, trim and seed the red pepper. Using the slicing blade of a food processor, slice the fennel, radish and pepper.
• Wash, trim and chop scallions.
• In a large bowl, mix mayonnaise, yogurt, vinegar, soy, mustard, sugar, lime juice, five-spice powder and pepper.
• Mince the garlic, grate the ginger and add them to the dressing with the vegetables.
• Drain cooked chicken, cut into cubes and stir into dressing.

CHICKEN SALAD WITH FENNEL AND CHARRED DATES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, toss together the sliced fennel, shallot and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on top, but don't stir.
• In a medium (10-inch) skillet, heat the oil over medium. Add the dates and cook, stirring halfway through, until blistered in spots, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, turn off the heat, then add the fennel seeds and red-pepper flakes. Swirl until sizzling and fragrant, then immediately pour the oil and dates over the chicken. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper, red-pepper flakes and lemon juice. Top with some torn fennel fronds.

SESAME-SCALLION CHICKEN SALAD

Steps:

• Bring chicken, 3 Tbsp. kosher salt, and 5 cups water to a bare simmer in a medium pot over medium heat (chicken should be submerged). Be patient-this will take a little while. Once liquid begins to simmer, reduce heat to low and cook (water should not be simmering at all now) until juices run clear when thickest part of chicken is pierced, 8-10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a medium bowl; discard poaching liquid. Let chicken sit until cool enough to handle, then shred meat into big pieces; set aside.
• Meanwhile, place scallions in a small bowl and pour in very cold water to cover; let soak 10 minutes.
• Drain scallions in a mesh sieve or colander, then rinse under cold running water, swishing vigorously to rinse and to encourage them to curl up. Shake off as much water as possible and place in a large bowl; set aside.
• Working one at a time, slice cucumbers in half crosswise, then slice each piece in half lengthwise. Place quarters cut side down and slice in half lengthwise again to create 8 pieces total per cucumber. Add to bowl with reserved chicken.
• Set 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds aside in a small bowl for serving. Crush remaining sesame seeds in a mortar and pestle until some of the seeds have turned to powder, but with plenty of whole seeds left. (Alternatively, you can pulse seeds a few times in a food processor or spice mill, then transfer to a medium bowl before proceeding). Add lime juice, tahini, soy sauce, honey, and red pepper flakes and mash to create a paste. Add ¼ cup water and whisk to combine (if you don't have a small enough whisk, work in with the pestle). Taste and season with salt.
• Add lettuce and cilantro to bowl with reserved scallions. Pour half of dressing over and toss to coat. Arrange on a platter. Pour remaining dressing over chicken and cucumbers, toss to coat, and arrange over greens. Top salad with reserved 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds and squeeze juice from lime half over.

SESAME BRAISED CHICKEN WITH SCALLIONS, DAIKON AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Trim the roots off the scallions. Separate the dark green tops from the bottoms.
• In a 5- or 6-quart Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil and 1.5 teaspoons sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the scallion bottoms, daikon, mushrooms and garlic cloves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 7 minutes. Add the ginger and cook 1 minute more. Use a slotted spoon to transfer vegetables to a platter.
• Pat chicken dry; season inside and out with salt and pepper. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil and 1.5 teaspoons sesame oil to the Dutch oven. Brown chicken, turning, until the skin is well browned. Turn chicken breast-side up. Scatter the vegetables around the chicken. In a small bowl, whisk together the stock, sherry and soy sauce. Pour over the chicken. Drop in the star anise pods. Tightly cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink, 50 to 60 minutes.
• Remove to a cutting board. Skim fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Chop the scallion tops and stir in, with the vinegar. Carve chicken and serve, topped with vegetables and pot juices.