Today is Ina’s birthday. We all need to raise a glass to her and celebrate this special day. This is one of those in a pinch, fabulous year round salads. Succulent chicken, crisp asparagus and fresh bell peppers are topped with an Asian vinaigrette of ginger, soy, sesame and peanut butter. So much robust flavor in a matter of minutes.

In the time it takes you to roast the chicken you can chop the rest of the ingredients and make the dressing. You can even substitute store bought rotisserie chicken for the breasts. This recipe makes a ton of dressing so don’t feel compelled to use it all in one sitting. I keep it in the fridge for days and use it on grilled chicken, fish, shrimp and veggies. I love to use it on white rice the next day for a vegetarian lunch.

I always keep a canning jar in the kitchen for making dressings. Throw all the ingredients in the canister and shake. No whisking involved. It also looks really cute for storing and serving.

Chinese Chicken Salad

4 split chicken breasts (bone-in, skin-on)
Good olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound asparagus, ends removed, and cut in thirds diagonally
1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded
2 scallions (white and green parts), sliced diagonally
1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted

For the dressing:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup good apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub with the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred the chicken in large bite-sized pieces.

Blanch the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for 3to 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain. Cut the peppers in strips about the size of the asparagus pieces. Combine the cut chicken, asparagus, and peppers in a large bowl.

Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing and pour over the chicken and vegetables. Add the scallions and sesame seeds and season to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Recipe and image from Barefoot Contessa Parties! Ideas and Recipes for Easy Parties That Are Really Fun

If you’re looking for a great cookbook or a gift for someone who loves to cook, this is the one to buy.