Chicken salad with cheese and Chinese cabbage "Jealous"
4 servings
60 minutes
The 'Rival' salad is a bright representative of Russian cuisine, combining the freshness of Beijing cabbage, the tenderness of chicken fillet, and the spiciness of cheese balls. Its name hints at a contrast of flavors: crispy croutons, creamy notes of feta cheese with herbs and garlic, and tender meat fried with sesame. The dressing with soy sauce, mayonnaise, and mandarin juice adds an exotic sweet-sour note to the dish. This dish is perfect for a festive table, surprising guests with its original combination of ingredients. It can be served as a standalone dish or as a light dinner. 'Rival' is not just a salad but a gastronomic masterpiece reflecting the traditions of Russian cuisine with a modern approach to flavor combinations.
1
Let's prepare croutons. For this, we cut the loaf into cubes about 1.5 cm on each side. We mix vegetable oil with garlic, Provençal herbs, and salt. We place our cubes in a baking dish, pour the prepared mixture over them, mix thoroughly, and send them to the oven for 15-20 minutes at a temperature of 160-170 degrees. We stir them occasionally.
- White loaf (baton): 2 pieces
- Vegetable oil: 30 ml
- Garlic: 4 cloves
- Herbes de Provence: 0.5 teaspoon
2
Cut the chicken fillet into strips, salt, pepper, and sprinkle with sesame. Fry on high heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring often to prevent the meat from burning — we need it juicy inside.
- Chicken breast fillet: 200 g
- Sesame seeds: 3 teaspoons
3
Chop the cabbage finely and cut the bell pepper into thin strips.
- Napa cabbage (pak choi type): 270 g
- Bell pepper: 0.5 piece
- Red onion: 0.5 piece
4
Next, we make cheese balls. For this, we take feta cheese, add finely chopped dill, garlic through a press, basil and mash well with a fork (I added a bit of cream for a softer consistency). Then we shape the mixture into balls by hand — in our palms, like modeling clay.
- Fetaksa (soft brined cheese): 70 g
- Garlic: 4 cloves
- Dried basil: 0.5 teaspoon
- Dill: to taste
5
For the dressing, mix mayonnaise, soy sauce, garlic, and freshly squeezed mandarin juice.
- Mayonnaise: 4 tablespoons
- Soy sauce: 15 ml
- Garlic: 4 cloves
- Mandarins: 0.5 piece
6
We mix cabbage, corn, finely chopped onion, bell pepper, and chicken. We place it on a plate, top it with cheese balls and croutons, and drizzle the salad with dressing.
- Napa cabbage (pak choi type): 270 g
- Canned sweetcorn: to taste
- Red onion: 0.5 piece
- Bell pepper: 0.5 piece
- Chicken breast fillet: 200 g
- Fetaksa (soft brined cheese): 70 g
- White loaf (baton): 2 pieces