Bang bang chicken salad
The Sichuan classic: silky poached chicken over cool smashed cucumbers, drenched in a nutty, spicy sesame peanut sauce.
- 45 min total
- 20 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 4
- About $2.16 a serving
- 340 calories
- Good the next day
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 1¼ lb boneless chicken thighs
- 1 fresh ginger, sliced into coins
- 4 green onions, whites and greens separated
- 2 cucumbers
- 3 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp chili garlic sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped (optional)
From your pantry
- 1¼ tsp salt, divided
- 2½ tsp sugar, divided
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
Each serving has about 340 calories, 34 g protein, 15 g carbs and 17 g fat, and costs about $2.16 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No boneless chicken thighs? Chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins work.
- No green onions? Chives work.
- No cucumbers? English cucumbers or mini cucumbers work.
- No cilantro? Fresh parsley works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Put the chicken, ginger, green onion whites and 1 teaspoon salt in a , cover with cold water by an inch and on high.
Saucepan. A saucepan is a pot with tall, straight sides and one long handle. It’s for things that need depth, like rice, sauces or a few boiled eggs.
How you’ll know: The food fills it about halfway, leaving room to bubble without spilling over.
Bring to a boil. It means heating a liquid on high until it’s fully boiling before you move on. A lid on the pot gets it there faster, which makes it a good moment to chop something.
How you’ll know: Big bubbles break all over the surface, and they keep coming when you lift the lid.
High heat
Turn the heat to low so it barely bubbles, cover and 15 minutes, until the thickest piece reads 165°F.
Simmer. Simmering means keeping a liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles rising gently. It cooks food evenly and lets a sauce thicken without scorching on the bottom.
How you’ll know: Small, lazy bubbles break the surface every second or so, and nothing is churning.
Low heatTimer: 15 min
Food safety: Chicken and turkey are done at 165°F in the thickest part. A thermometer is the only sure check. Without one, cut into the thickest piece: it should be white all the way through, with no pink.
Lift the chicken out to cool for 10 minutes, then tear it into thin strips with your fingers.
Timer: 10 min
Lay the cucumbers on the board and whack them with the flat side of a big knife or a rolling pin until they crack open. Cut into bite-size chunks.
Dolly’s tip: Smashed cucumber has rough edges that grab the sauce much better than neat slices.the cucumber with ½ teaspoon sugar and the rest of the salt and leave it 10 minutes, then pour off the water.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Timer: 10 min
the peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, chili garlic sauce and the rest of the sugar, adding warm water a spoonful at a time until it drizzles.
Whisk. Whisking means beating quickly with a whisk or a fork to blend things together. It smooths out lumps and mixes eggs, oil or sauces evenly.
How you’ll know: It all looks one even color and texture, with no streaks or lumps.
Pile the cucumber on a platter, top with the chicken, pour the sauce over and scatter sesame seeds, green onion tops and cilantro.
Slice. Slicing means cutting food into flat pieces of about the same thickness. Even slices cook evenly, so none are raw while others burn.
How you’ll know: Lay a few side by side: they’re close to the same thickness from one end to the other.
Dolly’s tip: For lunches, pack the sauce in a small jar. The chicken and cucumber keep 3 days in the fridge.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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