Is Chinese chicken salad an authentic Chinese recipe? Well, yes and no. The standard restaurant chicken salad combining lettuce, chicken and dry noodles with an Asian dressing is probably a California invention, designed to appease diners who believed a salad without lettuce just wasn't a salad.
Bang Bang Chicken, on the other hand, is the real thing. It originated in the province of Szechuan: the name comes from the light pounding process used to make the chicken meat more tender. This salad is also known as "Strange Flavor Chicken," reflecting the unusual flavor combination that comes from a sesame dressing spiced with hot chili oil. Authentic Bang Bang Chicken is served on green bean sheets (made from mung beans) that have been soaked and cut into strips. Cucumber slices (used in this recipe) are the traditional alternative, but feel free to use lettuce or cabbage instead if desired.
More Chicken Salad Recipes:
- Chinese Chicken Salad - with mandarin oranges and chow mein noodles
- Chinese Chicken Salad - with preserved red ginger and rice stick noodles
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