Spicy Asian Chicken Salad

This was super spiced up! Normally, I like a little heat, but this one was kicked up a little more than usual, and I liked it. Like a lot!

I pan seared a chicken breast and finished it off in the oven at 350° for about 20 minutes. While that was cooking I sautéed bell pepper and jalapeños. 

Oh! And the Asian sauce: similar to the peach chicken dish a couple weeks ago, but with a few extras. A tablespoon of hoisin, a tablespoon of plum sauce, a teaspoon of black bean sauce, one minced garlic clove, two teaspoons of honey, one heaping teaspoon of red chili paste, and a teaspoon of soy sauce. I spread that over both sides of my chicken before I put it in the oven just like a BBQ sauce. Reapply after 10 minutes, let it go for five, reapply again and cook for five more minutes. Give it one last application and let it rest a minute or so.

It's time to build the salad. I took green leaf lettuce, topped it with my cut up chicken breast, bell pepper and jalapeños, Roma tomato slices, and an avocado. I know, avocados are not Asian, but it still fits, trust me. I drizzled some balsamic vinegar and what was left of my Asian dressing, then I topped it all off with cooked quinoa. 

Sweet Baby Jesus it was spicy. Between the jalapeño and the red chili paste, your mouth will be singing, but the coolness of the avocado and sweetness of the Asian dressing saves the day.

Enjoy!