Chef Wolfgang Puck created this signature Chinois Chicken Salad for his Santa Monica restaurant, Chinois, which opened in 1983 and specializes in Chinese-French fusion cuisine. It remains one of his most popular dishes and highly-requested recipes.
Tip: You can use store-bought wonton strips, but to make your own fried wonton strips like Wolfgang does, slice some wonton wrappers and deep fry in oil at 360°F until golden brown. Drain on paper towels before using.
Serves 6
For the Vinaigrette:
½ cup rice wine vinegar
⅓ cup Chinese mustard
⅓ cup soy sauce
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp chopped pickled ginger
1 tbsp chili oil
1 tbsp sesame paste
Salt and pepper
¾ cup peanut oil
For the Salad:
5 cups julienned Napa cabbage
4 cups mixed greens or watercress
2 medium carrots, julienned
1 medium mango, peeled, pitted, and julienned
1 head radicchio, cored and julienned
3 pounds cooked skinless chicken breasts, cooled and meat julienned
2 cups fried wonton strips
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Large handful of toasted cashews
For the vinaigrette, in a blender, combine the rice wine vinegar, Chinese mustard, soy sauce, egg yolk, honey, pickled ginger, chili oil, sesame paste and salt and pepper to taste.
Blend thoroughly, then slowly add the peanut oil while the motor is running. Taste for seasoning.
For the salad, in a large salad bowl, mix all the salad ingredients except for the sesame seeds. Add half the vinaigrette and taste. Add more dressing, as needed, a little at a time so as not to overdress the salad.
Divide the salad among 6 plates and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and cashews.