Chinese Chicken Salad

The adapted recipe for Chi Dynasty's Chinese chicken salad includes steps for making the fresh dressing. Recipe (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times / August 18, 2011)

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• Dressing

• 5  tablespoons  soy sauce plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2  tablespoons  rice vinegar plus 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1  tablespoon  sesame oil plus 1 1/2 teaspoons  sesame oil
• 2  teaspoons  grated fresh ginger

• Salad assembly

• 8  cups  chopped iceberg lettuce
• 3  cups  crispy  rice noodles
• 1  lb  boiled chicken breast, cut into strips
• 1⁄3 cup  finely chopped peanuts, more to taste
• 2  tablespoons  minced preserved gingerroot, more to taste
• 1  tablespoon  roasted black sesame seed, more to taste
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped green onion, more to taste
• 1⁄4 cup cilantro leaf, more to taste

Directions

1. To make dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil and ginger. Taste and adjust seasoning and flavoring as desired. This makes a generous one-half cup of dressing.
2. To assemble salad: In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, noodles, chicken, peanuts, ginger, sesame seeds, green onions and cilantro leaves. Add half the dressing, tossing to lightly coat. Taste, and toss in additional dressing as desired. Serve immediately.
3. Note: Adapted from Chi Dynasty in Studio City. To make crispy rice noodles, fry the noodles in oil heated to 350 degrees until they're crisp, 1 to 2 minutes; drain on paper towels.