Bang-Bang Chicken Salad

Method

1. 1Place 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.
2. 2Lift 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.
3. 3Make 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.
4. 4Cut 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.
5. 5Arrange 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.