Lettuce Wrap Salad and Crispy Wontons

Salad:

¾ lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 English cucumber, thinly sliced (regular cucumber is fine)

2 carrots, peeled and grated (finely chopped works too!)

1 can sliced water chestnuts, chopped (optional)

12 cups chopped romaine lettuce 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake chicken 25 to 30 minutes or until done; let cool and shred. Combine chicken, cucumber, carrots, and lettuce in a large bowl; set aside. 

Almond topping:

½ cup sliced raw almonds

While chicken is in oven, spread almonds on a foil lined cookie sheet and place in oven until toasted, about 5 minutes. Stir once.

Dressing:

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 Tbsp honey

⅓ cup olive oil

Whisk together garlic, ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, honey and oil; pour dressing over salad, and toss to combine. 

"Fried" Wontons:

1 Tbsp dark sesame oil  (if you don't have it just double up on olive oil)

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp Sriracha hot sauce

20 wonton wrappers 

¾ tsp salt 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together sesame oil, olive oil and Sriracha; brush mixture evenly over both sides of each wonton wrapper. Place wontons on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet; sprinkle with salt. Bake 8-10 minutes or until browned and crisp. 

Shopping Notes and Cooking Tips:

1. If you've never bought wonton wrappers before, they're usually in the refrigerated case in the produce section - near things like the tofu, prepackaged salads or fancy juices.
2. Sesame Oil is expensive so don't buy it just for this recipe. Olive oil will work just fine!
3. I usually put the chicken and almonds in the oven. When the almonds are done I start rotating in the wontons. You can also wait for the chicken to finish and then cook the wontons while the chicken cools. The chicken may take a little longer to cook with the oven opening often.
4. Shredding chicken takes 1 minute in a stand mixer. Use the flat beater on a low speed with no more than 3 breasts at a time.

This has been adapted from an emeals.com recipe.