Tea-smoked chicken salad

4 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
½ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns,
Crushed*
⅛ teaspoon Granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon Ground ginger
10 ounces Skinless boneless chicken
Thighs
1 medium Scallion, quartered
3 slices Pared fresh ginger root
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
½ cup Uncooked, regular long-grain
Rice
2 tablespoons Firmly packed light or dark
Brown sugar
1 tablespoon Plus 1 1/2 tsp. Lapsang
Souchong tea leaves*
½ Cinnamon stick
3 3 1/2\" x 1/2\" strips orange
Zest**
4 cups Torn lettuce leaves
1½ cup Drained, canned, sliced
Water chestnuts
3 tablespoons Low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Peanut oil
1 medium Papaya, pared, seeded and
Diced

Directions

In small bowl, combine salt, peppercorns, granulated sugar and ground ginger; rub into chicken. Place scallion, ginger root and garlic on top of chicken; refrigerate, covered, 1 hour.

Set a steamer rack or round baking rack into large saucepan; add 1-2 inches water, being careful that water does not reach top of rack.

Spray large heat resistant plate with nonstick cooking spray (plate should fit into saucepan).

Bring water in saucepan to a boil; reduce heat. Place chicken with scallion, ginger root and garlic, along with any accumulated juices, on prepared plate; set plate on rack. Cook chicken over simmering water, covered, 5 minutes, until almost cooked through. Remove chicken and rack from saucepan; discard liquid in saucepan.

Spray same rack with nonstick cooking spray; transfer chicken to rack, discarding scallion, ginger root and garlic.

Line same saucepan with foil. Sprinkle foil with rice, brown sugar and tea leaves; add cinnamon stick and orange zest. Place saucepan over medium heat; cook until mixture begins to smoke. Set prepared rack into saucepan; cook, covered, 12 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from saucepan; set aside to cool.

While chicken is cooling, in large bowl, combine lettuce, waterchestnuts, broth, lemon juice and oil, tossing well to coat thoroughly; divide evenly among 4 plates. Slice cooled chicken; arrange ¼ of the chicken and papaya on each portion of salad.

*Szechuan peppercorns and Lapsang Souchong tea leaves can be purchased in Asian food stores or the Asian food sectin of some supermarkets. If loose tea leaves are not available, use three tea bags and open to release leaves, discarding bag.

**The zest of the orange is the peel without any of the pith (white membrane). To remove zest from orange, use a zester or vegetable peeler; wrap orange in plastic wrap and refrigerate for use at another time.

EACH SERVING PROVIDES: ¾ fat; ½ fruit, 2 vegetables; 2 proteins; ½ bread

PER SERVING: 186 calories; 16g protein; 7g fat; 17g carbohydrate; 68mg calcium; 349mg sodium; 59mg cholesterol; 1g dietary fiber

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