On a recent road trip my sister and I were kindly sheltered by Sarkis and Richard, a kindness we will always remember. Richard prepared one of his signature dishes, Chinese Chicken Salad. It is often requested at pot lucks and luncheons. It is a featured recipe, under his name, in the local garden club’s favorite recipe cookbook.

Sharp-eyed readers will notice a difference between the ingredients listed and the photographs and the dish as prepared. Seemingly like most Asian derived dishes, they are adaptable to ingredients on hand. A few left-overs from earlier meals were incorporated into this Chinese chicken salad he made for us with excellent and tasty results. He usually roasts a whole chicken but I have added the option of using boneless, skinless chicken breasts if light meat is preferred.

• 1 whole chicken or 4 large chicken breasts
• 1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
• 1 small cucumber, peeled and sliced
• 4 tablespoons spiced or candied ginger, diced
• 2 tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
• Oil for frying

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 6 or 8 ounce package Mai Fun rice noodles
• 2 stalks of celery, slicd
• 1 8 or 11-ounce can mandarin orange slices
• 1 taablespoon peanut butter

• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup salad oil
• 2 ounces Spiced Gibnger - diced

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar

1. Roast the chicken in a preheated 350°F oven for 1 hour. Remove and let cool to a safe handling temperature. Skin and debone the chicken cutting the meat into bite-sized pieces. Add a bit of olive oil to a heated skillet. Add hoisin sauce and peanut butter, stir to mix. Add the reserved chicken pieces and stir fry for a few minutes to add a bit of color. Set aside to cool.

   

2. To a large bowl add the chopped lettuce. Add the sliced cucumbers and 3 tablespoons of the diced spiced ginger. Toss to mix.

   In a small pot heat about 3-inches of oil. In batches, add a handful of rice noodles to the hot oil. Be ready with a slotted spoon and remove the noodles as soon as they puff-up, just in a few seconds. Remove the noodles to a paper towel to drain. Repeat until all of the needed noodles have cooked. You will need a small bowlful of cooked noodles.

   

3. Add the chicken and the cooled rice noodles to the reserved lettuce. Toss to mix.

   

4. To make the dressing: Combine the dry mustard, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, salad oil, rice vinegar and the spiced ginger. Add to the salad mixture and toss well and serve.