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5.0 from 15 votes

Chicken Salad with Pine Nut Dressing

This simple chicken salad recipe is made with breast meat and a Korean pine nut dressing! It’s a healthy dish you can easily make and grab for a quick lunch.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Servings: 2
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Korean

Ingredients

Pine nut dressing:
  • 4 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (or any clear vinegar)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon hot mustard paste – gyeoja, 겨자 or dijon or yellow mustard if desired
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic 
  • salt to taste about 1/2 teaspoon
Poached chicken:
  • 1 chicken breast 8 to 10 ounces
  • 1/4 medium onion
  • 1/2 stalk celery
  • 1/2 carrot
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 bay leaf - optional
To serve on a bed of salad vegetables:
  • a handful spring mix or other salad vegetables of choice
  • 2 to 3 red radishes thinly sliced
Or to toss with salad:
  • 1/4 red bell pepper julienned
  • 1/4 yellow bell pepper julienned
  • 1 small Kirby cucumber cut lengthwise and then thinly sliced diagonally

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. To make the dressing, toast the pine nuts in a pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. This will enhance the flavor. Grind the pine nuts in a blender or food processor (or finely mince them with a knife). Add the remaining dressing ingredients and blend well. Refrigerate while preparing the chicken and vegetables.
  2. In a medium size pot, bring 5 cups of water and the aromatic vegetables to a simmer over medium heat. Add the chicken breast and simmer over medium low heat for about 8 -10 minutes (increase the time if cooking more than 1 chicken breast). Remove the chicken and allow it to cool.
  3. When cool enough to handle, shred and lightly season with salt. Refrigerate while preparing vegetables. Wash salad vegetables in ice water and drain well. Cut them into desired sizes if needed.
  4. Combine the shredded chicken with the dressing, leaving a couple of tablespoons of dressing.
  5. Line the platter with the salad vegetables. Place the chicken salad in the middle. Drizzle with the remaining dressing, and garnish with a few pine nuts if available.
  6. OR thinly slice the optional vegetables and mix well with the chicken salad before serving.

Notes

  • This chicken salad can be stored in the fridge up to 4 days.