Vietnamese Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 1 piece (2 in.) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 10 ounce boned, skinned chicken breast
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (nuoc nam or nam pla)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Asian red chili paste or dried hot chile flakes
• 6 cups very finely shredded cabbage
• 2 cups shredded carrots
• 2 cups shredded jicama
• 1 cup shredded English cucumber
• 1/2 onion, peeled and slivered
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced celery
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Preparation

1. 1. In a 4- to 5-quart pan over high heat, bring 2 quarts water, ginger, and salt to a simmer. Add chicken, adjust heat to maintain simmer, and cook until chicken is slightly pink in the center (cut to test) about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes, then lift chicken from water. When cool enough to handle, shred or slice into bite-size pieces.
2. 2. In a large bowl, mix lemon juice, honey, fish sauce, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, and chili paste. Add cabbage, carrots, jicama, cucumber, onion, celery, cilantro, mint, and chicken; mix well. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.