White asparagus & chicken salad with Japanese dressing

Prep 20 mins | Cook 20 mins | Serves 4

You’ll need about 14 spears white asparagus.

2 cups chicken stock
4 x ¹⁄₂ cm thick slices fresh ginger
3 small chicken breast fillets
500g white asparagus, trimmed and stems peeled
150g snow peas, trimmed
3 green onions (shallots), finely sliced diagonally
75g mizuma or baby Asian salad leaves
Micro* coriander leaves and fried shallots, to serve (optional)

Japanese dressing
2 tbs mirin
2 tbs salt reduced soy sauce
1 tbs peanut oil
1 tbs caster sugar
Micro* coriander leaves

*Micro herbs and greens – baby-leafed with a delicate flavour, available from quality greengrocers.

Step 1 Heat stock and ginger in a covered medium frying pan over medium heat until just simmering. Add chicken and cook, turning occasionally, for 10 minutes until just cooked through. Using tongs, transfer chicken to a plate.

Step 2 Add asparagus to the simmering stock in the pan and cook for 4–5 minutes until just tender. Transfer asparagus to a colander and refresh in cold water. Add snow peas to pan and cook for 1 minute. Refresh in cold water.

Step 3 Shred cooled chicken and place in a large bowl. Add asparagus, snow peas, green onions and salad leaves. Toss to combine.

Step 4 To make dressing, combine all ingredients in a screw-top jar. Shake until well combined. Drizzle dressing over salad. Gently toss. Arrange salad on a serving platter. Sprinkle with micro coriander and fried shallots if using, and serve.

Good for you ... White Asparagus

Like green asparagus, white spears are one of the best sources of natural folate. This B complex vitamin is important throughout life for the normal function of the body’s immune system. Slightly less vitamin C than green asparagus, but still a good source. Vitamin C contributes to a reduction of tiredness.