Equipment
Ingredients
Miso-Tahini Dressing
- 30 g white miso paste
- 30 g tahini
- 15 ml unseasoned rice vinegar
- 30 ml warm water
- 5 ml toasted sesame oil
- 5 g fresh ginger, finely grated
Salad Base
- 250 g cooked chicken breast, shredded
- 200 g romaine lettuce, chopped
- 100 g english cucumber, cut into half-moons
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 5 g toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 392 kcal
- Protein
- 45 g
- Carbohydrates
- 15 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 671 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Cholesterol
- 106 mg
- Potassium
- 779 mg
- Calcium
- 120 mg
- Iron
- 3.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 90 mg
- Phosphorus
- 488 mg
- Zinc
- 2.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 467 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 8 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 131 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.46 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.29 mg
- Niacin
- 18.6 mg
- Folate
- 168 mcg
- Water
- 257 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a small mixing bowl, combine the white miso paste, tahini, unseasoned rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and grated ginger.
Gradually whisk the warm water into the miso mixture until smooth and creamy. The dressing should be thick but easily pourable. If the tahini causes the mixture to seize, add an additional 5ml of warm water and continue whisking.
Wash and thoroughly dry the romaine lettuce on your cutting board. Chop the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and slice the cucumber into half-moons. Shred the cooked chicken breast into manageable strands.
In a large serving bowl, arrange the chopped romaine lettuce, sliced cucumber, and shredded chicken.
Drizzle the miso-tahini dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss gently to ensure all leaves and chicken pieces are evenly coated. Garnish with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds immediately before serving.
Chef's Notes
- For the best texture, ensure your salad greens are completely dry before dressing. Wet greens will repel the creamy emulsion and water down the rich flavors.
- Tahini varies wildly in thickness between brands. You may need to adjust the water content in the dressing by up to 15ml to achieve the perfect coating consistency.
- If cooking raw chicken breast specifically for this recipe, poach it gently to an internal temperature of 74 C (165 F) to ensure it remains tender, juicy, and easily shreddable.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store dressing and salad components in separate airtight containers to prevent wilting.
Troubleshooting
Dressing is clumpy, too thick, or appears separated.
Cause: Cold tahini or sudden temperature differences caused the emulsion to break, or the tahini brand has a very low moisture content.
Fix: Vigorously whisk in a few drops of hot water until the emulsion reforms and becomes glossy.
Prevention: Ensure tahini is at room temperature and always use warm water to thin the dressing.
Salad becomes soggy and watery at the bottom of the bowl.
Cause: Lettuce leaves were not dried properly before assembly, watering down the dressing.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once fully tossed; pour off excess liquid from the bottom.
Prevention: Use a salad spinner and pat greens entirely dry with a paper towel before mixing.
Cultural Context
This salad represents a harmonious blending of East Asian and Middle Eastern pantry staples. By marrying Japanese fermented white miso with Levantine roasted sesame paste, the dressing achieves a remarkable depth of umami and nuttiness that elevates a simple chicken salad into a satisfying main course.
