Hunan Strange Chicken Salad

Ingredients

For the Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce

• 1 ½ tablespoon peanut oil

• 1 tablespoon sesame paste (available in Asian markets) or smooth peanut butter

• 1 tablespoon Chinese red chile oil (available in Asian markets)

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 2 teaspoons ground Sichuan peppercorns

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon minced ginger

• ½ teaspoon crushed red chile flakes

For the Salad:

• 8 ounces cooked chicken, chopped

• 2 green onions, chopped including some of the greens

• 1 cucumber, ½ cubed and ½ sliced

• Shredded lettuce

• Garnish: 1/4 cup roasted peanuts

• Crushed red chile flakes

• Chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the dressing and mix well. Allow the dressing to sit for a couple of hours to blend the flavors.

Toss the chicken, green onions, and cubed cucumber in the dressing. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

To serve: Make a bed of the lettuce on individual serving plates. Arrange the sliced cucumbers on the lettuce, top with the chicken salad and garnish with the peanuts, chile flakes, and cilantro.