Bang-Bang Chicken Salad
A popular Chinese-inspired salad of shredded poached chicken with cucumber and green onion, dressed in a creamy, sweet-spicy bang-bang peanut sauce. Silky chicken, crunchy vegetables, and a bold sauce — simple to make and impossible to stop eating.
Ingredients
- 250 graw boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 0.5 fresh cucumber, cut into thin sticks
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1 scallion stalk
- 1 tspsesame seeds
- 2 tbsppeanut butter
- 1 tbspsoy sauce
- 1 tbsprice vinegar
- 1 tspsesame oil
- 0.5 tspchili paste or chili oil
- 1 tsphoney or sugar
- 2 tbspwarm water
Method
- Place the chicken breast in a pot of cold salted water (add a slice of ginger if you have it — it perfumes the meat beautifully). Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low and poach for 15-18 minutes until cooked through but still juicy — 74°C in the thickest part, no pink inside. Don't let it boil hard or the chicken will turn stringy.
- Lift the chicken out and let it cool until you can handle it comfortably, about 10 minutes. Shred it into long strips by pulling along the grain with two forks or your fingers. The pieces should be thin and ragged — this texture catches and holds the sauce in every crevice.
- Make the bang-bang sauce: in a bowl, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili paste (or chili oil), and honey. Whisk until smooth. Add warm water a tablespoon at a time, stirring between additions, until the sauce is creamy but thin enough to pour — it should coat the back of a spoon.
- Cut the cucumber into thin sticks about the length of your finger. Chop the green onion into rings. Pick the cilantro leaves from the stems — use both leaves and tender upper stems for maximum flavor.
- Arrange the shredded chicken and cucumber sticks on a plate. Drizzle the sauce generously over everything and toss gently to coat. Scatter the green onion, cilantro, and sesame seeds on top. Serve at room temperature — the flavors are brightest when the salad isn't fridge-cold.
FAQ
Bang-bang sauce is a creamy Chinese-inspired sauce made from peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili, and honey. It is sweet, spicy, and very rich.
Substitute with tahini (sesame paste) — the consistency and richness will be very similar. The flavor becomes more neutral but the sauce stays delicious.
Yes — poached or fried shrimp, tofu, or thinly sliced pork all work beautifully. The bang-bang sauce is versatile with any protein.
Poach the chicken until cooked through, let cool slightly, then pull apart with your hands or two forks along the grain. The meat absorbs sauce better this way.
Store the sauce separately in the fridge for up to 3 days. Cook the chicken in advance. Combine everything just before serving — cucumber releases water if left dressed.
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Comments (1)
I make the dressing for bang-bang chicken salad first and let it sit while I prep everything else. The cooked chicken breast and seasonings need at least 10 minutes to meld. Last-second dressing always tastes a bit harsh and disjointed.