If you’ve been reading IGE for any length of time, than you know I have a fondness for making healthier versions of my favorite, not-so-healthy restaurant dishes at home, such as…
P.F. Chang’s Lettuce Wraps (less grease!), Food Court Baked Ziti (less cheese!), Chipotle Burrito Bowls (less funky chicken!) rise to the top as some of my top picks.
But some of my favorite dishes to grab on the go, don’t necessarily need a makeover. They’re light and satisfying on their own, without having to go back to the drawing board. One such meal is Panera’s Asian Sesame Chicken Salad.
This salad is perfectly light, crunchy, sweet and savory. The only thing that needed changing was the location of the salad. As in, from Panera’s kitchen, to my own.
The recipe for this salad is broken into 3 parts for easy preparation. Don’t let the long(ish) ingredient list scare you – it comes together lickity split.
Part 1: The Chicken
Start by mixing up a savory, sesame-flavored marinade for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, that combines sesame oil and soy sauce or gluten-free tamari (dish will not be GF if using soy sauce) with ground ginger, garlic powder and some other far-east flavors.
Marinate the chicken in the mixture for 15 minutes, or up to an hour, then grill or cook in a non-stick sprayed skillet until done. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then slice, and set aside.
Part 2: The Dressing
This recipe for Panera’s perfectly sweet & tangy Asian Sesame Dressing is SPOT ON, plus it’s a cinch to make. Start by whisking sugar into boiling vinegar until it fully dissolves, about 30 seconds.
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Once cooled, combine it with canola oil, sesame oil, salt & pepper.
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Next, add in toasted sesame seeds. You don’t HAVE to toast the seeds, but it adds so much, plus it takes like 2 minutes. Just add the seeds to a dry skillet over medium heat, and shake the pan every 30 seconds or so until they’re are golden brown. Presto.
Add ’em in, and shake ‘er up!
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Dressing = done!
Part 3: The Toppings
Toppings are what make the world go round, and this salad has no shortage of them. I used chopped cilantro, mandarin oranges packed in water (just rinse and pat dry if they’re packed in syrup.)
sliced almonds, and baked wonton strips. You could snag some fried wonton strips from your grocery store’s Chinese buffet ($.50 or so) or do what I did and cut wonton squares into strips, spray with non-stick spray, and bake at 400 degrees for 3-4 minutes. I wouldn’t buy a package of wontons just to make these strips, but dear Ben cleaned out the freezer for us this weekend (cabin fever makes husbands do crazy things,) and found a whole, unopened package of wonton wrappers, which is why I made my own vs buying. This is far longer than I wanted to talk about wonton strips.
(Note: this recipe was written prior to me getting Celiac Disease — wontons are not gluten free!)
Assembly:
Pile romaine lettuce and baby spinach onto a plate, then top with the chicken and toppings. Drizzle with zee dressing, and dive in!
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Copycat Panera Asian Sesame Chicken Salad
Description
Copycat Panera Asian Sesame Chicken Salad is a healthier version of my favorite salad from Panera!
Ingredients
- 1 bag chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 bag baby spinach
- 4 medium chicken breasts
- For the chicken marinade:
- 3 Tablespoons soy sauce or gluten-free Tamari (dish will not be GF if using soy sauce)
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1-1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden brown
- Salad toppings:
- Chopped cilantro
- 11oz can mandarin oranges packed in water or 100% juice (rinse in water if packed in syrup)
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- Baked or fried wonton strips
- Sesame seeds
Directions
- For the chicken: Whisk together chicken marinade ingredients, and marinate chicken for 15 minutes. Grill, or cook in a non-stick sprayed skillet until done, then let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Cut into slices.
- For the dressing: Bring vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan. Turn off the heat, then add in the sugar and stir until dissolved. Let cool. Combine with the rest of the dressing ingredients in a jar, and shake to combine.
- Divide lettuce and spinach between four plates. Top with sliced chicken, salad dressing, and toppings.
Notes
Dressing from Art + Food + Life
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Panera’s version:
and mine!
The addition of mandarin oranges, which Panera doesn’t use, to this salad was totally clutch. That burst of juicy sweetness is fantastic with the bold cilantro, and sesame-laced dressing.
The textures in this salad were out of this world too. Love it when a recipe remix comes together like this!
Now if only I could find a recipe for Panera’s Cinnamon Crunch Bagel…
Kate 02.07.2012
I just love fruity slushy drinks! And being able to enjoy them someplace warm!
Julie D 02.07.2012
Margarita! Preferably in Mexico on the beach! :)
ErinJMT 02.07.2012
My favorite cocktail is a Lemon Drop from the Cosmo Lounge in Suites @ 800.
Sierra Kelly 02.07.2012
You have got to be the cutest food blogger I know of, and your just so darn adorable. did i mention my obsession with your layout? ah so much to love!
I’m Sierra Kelly from Young Alumni and I’m hosting a giveaway with a beautiful leather tassel earring. I couldn’t resist a chance to pass along the link. It’s available until Friday and it’s just perfect for Valentine’s Day!
I also do a lot of food updates, one of my upcoming posts is about some inspiration you gave me with my own little twist. I’ll be sure to share it, cheers!
Allison 02.07.2012
I love mojitos made with fresh lime juice and fresh mint. This event looks really fun and not too far from Cedar Falls!
Kelly 02.07.2012
Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Court Ave. Brewery!
Josh D. 02.07.2012
3oz of Templeton Rye poured over a pair of large soapstones right out of the freezer! Mmmm :)
Jennifer W. 02.07.2012
My favorite cocktail is a basic vodka tonic w/ lime. :)
Bethany 02.07.2012
P.S. I plan to attempt to copycat the Panera Cinnamon Crunch Bagel this weekend… I will let you know how it turns out!
Iowa Girl Eats 02.07.2012
Sweet! Yes, let me know! :)
Bethany 02.07.2012
I had a snickers martini at the Stuffed Olive in Cedar Falls once. AMAZING! But I do not even want to know the calorie count!
Christa 02.07.2012
Love me some margaritas!!! probably because it usually comes with chips and salsa!
Chad 02.07.2012
I will take a 7 and 7!
Now Please!
Tim 02.07.2012
My favorite cocktail is a Manhattan made with Templeton Rye Whiskey served up with two cherries.
Jessica 02.07.2012
Dos Rios Rojo Sangeria is perfect for summer!
Elizabeth @ Southern Color 02.07.2012
As someone who worked at Panera throughout college, I would say this looks almost like the real deal!!! The asian salad is one of my favorites, I can’t wait to try out your recipe!
Allison 02.07.2012
My favorite cocktail is a margarita – with salsa and chips, of course.
I made your Healthy Hamburger Helper on Saturday. I don’t like Hamburger Helper, but my fiance used to live on it and pizza, so I decided to take one for the team and make it. I was really surprised at how much I liked it! Way better than Hamburger Helper, really.
I went to Panera yesterday and had MY favorite – the BBQ chopped chicken salad. I would love to recreate that one at home! I never can resist getting a sweet treat from the Panera bakery after my meal though, so I know that I am in for high calories if I walk thru the Panera door.
lindsey 02.07.2012
i am definitely a sangria girl…it has fruit so it is healthy, right??!
Micah 02.07.2012
Malibu pineapple is probably my easy go-to, but if I’m somewhere that has a great mojito or sangria, I’m all over that.
rebann 02.07.2012
Definitely a Bloody Mary!
Lani Moeller 02.07.2012
Definitely a White Russian