Chinese Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 4 cups shredded napa cabbage
• 2 cups shredded red cabbage
• 2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 8 wonton wrappers, cut into strips
• 1 cup vegetable oil, for frying
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1/4 cup neutral oil
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 can mandarin orange segments, 11 oz, drained

Before you cook

• Shred both cabbages thinly and cut the carrots into matchsticks.
• Slice the scallions and chop the cilantro.
• Cut the wonton wrappers into 1/4-inch strips.
• Grate the ginger and garlic.
• Drain the mandarin oranges.

Steps

1. Toast the sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 minutes, shaking often, until golden, then tip them onto a plate.
2. Heat the frying oil in the same skillet to 350 degrees F.
3. Fry the wonton strips in two batches for 45 seconds each, until crisp and pale gold, and drain them on paper towels.
4. Whisk the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, ginger and garlic together in a bowl until the sugar dissolves.
5. Pour in the neutral oil in a thin stream while whisking so the dressing emulsifies.
6. Combine the napa cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, scallions, cilantro and chicken in a large bowl.
7. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly slicked.
8. Add the mandarin oranges and fold them in gently so they stay whole.
9. Scatter the fried wonton strips, toasted almonds and sesame seeds over the top and serve immediately for maximum crunch.