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–+ servings

Poached Chicken Tender Salad with Fruity Japanese Dressing

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 3 servings

Ingredients  

  • 1 Japanese cucumber or Persian cucumber
  • salt
  • 3 okra
  • 3 pieces chicken tenderloin
  • 1 tbsp sake optional
  • 4 shiso leaves shredded

Dressing

Toppings

  • toasted white sesame seeds to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • broccoli sprouts to taste

Instructions 

  • Remove the pits from 3 pickled plums (umeboshi) and use a knife to finely chop the flesh until it resembles a smooth paste.
    pasted umeboshi on a wooden cutting board with vegetable knife
  • Add the ume paste to a large mixing bowl along with 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, ½ tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 1 tsp yellow miso paste (awase), 1 tsp rice vinegar and 1 tsp honey. Whisk until smooth and store in the fridge for later.
    Japanese inspired chicken tender salad dressing being whisked in a steel mixing bowl on a white background
  • Diagonally slice 1 Japanese cucumber.
    sliced cucumber on a wooden cutting board with vegetable knife
  • Stack the slices and cut them into thin matchsticks, then place them in a bowl and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Toss the bowl a few times to evenly distribute the salt, then let it sit for 10 minutes.
    julienned cucumber salted in a steel mixing bowl on a white background
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While you wait, take 3 okra, cut off the stems and carefully peel the tough area around the top. Be careful not to cut into the seed cavity.
    peeling the top of one okra
  • Take 3 pieces chicken tenderloin and make shallow cuts on both sides of the tendon. Hold the tendon and place the blunt side of your knife firmly on top of it, then pull it out. The back of the knife will separate the chicken meat from the tendon.
    pulling the tendon out of chicken tenderloin
  • Once the water is boiling, add the okra to the pot and boil for 2 minutes.
    3 okra boiling in a pot of water on the stove top
  • Use a slotted spoon to transfer the okra to an ice water bath. Add 1 tbsp sake to the pot and let it boil once more, then turn off the heat. Place the chicken tenders in the pot and cover with a lid. Leave the chicken to cook in the residual heat for 7 minutes.
    3 chicken tenders in boiling water in a pot on the stove top
  • After the timer sounds, transfer the chicken to ice water bath with the okra (add more ice if necessary).
    chicken tenders and okra in a bowl of ice water on a white background
  • Squeeze the cucumber thoroughly to remove the excess water, and shred 4 shiso leaves. Dry the okra and cut them into bitesize pieces. Take the dressing from the fridge and add all of the vegetables.
    julienned cucumber, shredded shiso and thick cuts of okra in dressing in a bowl for chicken tender salad
  • Once the chicken is cool enough to touch, drain the bowl of ice water and pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper. Shred it by hand straight into the bowl with the dressing.
    shredding poached chicken tenders into the bowl of dressing and vegetables to make salad
  • Mix until all the ingredients are evenly covered, then transfer to serving bowls with a sprinkle of toasted white sesame seeds, ground black pepper and broccoli sprouts. Enjoy!
    Poached Chicken Tender Salad with Fruity Japanese Style Dressing in a white dish held in a hand, with chopsticks holding up a piece of chicken

Notes

  • Choose firm, bright green okra without brown spots or soft areas for the best texture and flavor.
  • Adjust honey quantity based on the saltiness of your umeboshi. Saltier plums may need slightly more honey for balance.
  • Store assembled salad in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, though cucumber may release more water over time.
  • Serving ideas: Salt Grilled Salmon, Dashimaki Tamago, Japanese Miso Soup, Salmon Onigiri