Chicken, Asparagus and Avocado Salad

Total time: 20 minutes
     Quickly blanched asparagus, stir-fried chicken and sliced avocado go together quickly for this simple, spring salad.  Some crusty country bread is the perfect accompaniment.

 Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sesame or walnut oil
• 1 tbs Teriyaki sauce or marinade
• 6oz (180gr) asparagus
• 1 avocado
• 3oz (90gr) cherry tomatoes
• 6oz (180gr) spinach and/or other salad greens, enough for 2 main meal salads
• Oriental Vinaigrette:
• 1 tbs Teriyaki sauce or marinade
• 1 tbs Balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame or walnut oil
• 3 tbs salad olive oil

 Instructions:

• Vegetables:
• Snap off asparagus ends.  Peel if using white. 
• Cut asparagus into 1 1/2" (4cm) lengths. 
• Bring a medium saucepan half full of water to a boil over medium high heat. 
• Add asparagus and blanch for 2 minutes (3 for white). 
• Remove, drain, rinse thoroughly with cold water and drain again.
• Prepare salad greens, washing and spinning dry if needed
• Slice tomatoes in half.
• Remove avocado from shell and slice.
• Chicken:
• Cut chicken into large bite-size pieces. 
• Heat oils in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. 
• Add Teriyaki sauce and chicken; stir-fry 5 - 7 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
• Vinaigrette:
• Mix Teriyaki sauce, vinegar and sesame oil.
• Slowly add olive oil, whisking constantly. 
• Salad:
• Arrange salad greens on two plates. 
• Divide chicken and place in the center.  
• Arrange avocado slices on one side, asparagus on the other. 
• Add tomatoes. 
• Drizzle a bit of dressing over all and serve, remaining dressing on the side.