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Crave

Tropical Chicken-Mango Salad

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

A dressing of rice vinegar, fish sauce, sesame oil, honey, ginger and garlic ties together a tropical salad of fresh mango and cubed chicken.

With their tangy dressing and bright flavors, Asian-accented salads appeal when you want something light for dinner. Here a sesame oil, ginger and fish sauce vinaigrette dresses a mix of chicken, mango and red pepper. Bring it all together with a worthy wine that picks up the notes of tart and sweet.

Make this

Recipe by Renee Enna

In a small bowl, whisk together

  • 5 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon each crushed red pepper and minced garlic

Toss 8 cups torn romaine lettuce leaves with

  • 1 cup chopped mint, basil or cilantro, or a combination
  • Top with 1 pound cooked chicken, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 large mango, peeled, pitted, diced
  • 1/2 cup roasted peanuts

Toss with dressing; serve with a lime wedge for squeezing. Serves 4.

Drink this

Pairings by Aaron McManus of Oriole, Chicago

>> 2014 Pierre Gaillard Les Gendrines Cotes du Rhone Blanc, Rhone Valley, France: This wine is 100 percent viognier and very aromatic, with tropical flavors giving way to peach, orange blossom, baking spices and a rocky minerality. There is no sweetness, but the wine is fruit-forward. Its tropical flavors will complement the mango, and its tartness will match well with the rice vinegar and fish sauce.

>> 2013 Shea Wine Cellars Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, Oregon: This wine smells of bright lemon zest, pears, green apples, melon, tangerine, slight vanilla, fresh sweet herbs, hazelnuts and spice. A bit of new oak aging gives it vanilla undertones to complement the mango. The wine’s green quality will match the lettuce and herbs. Also, the wine’s spice and hazelnut will complement the ginger and peanuts.

>> 2012 Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve, Alsace, France: This dry style of pinot gris shows flavors of apricots, sweet citrus, baked apple, almonds and honeysuckle. The fruit is a little dried and candied, so it will match nicely with the tropical notes in the dish, and the nutty qualities will match well with the peanuts and sesame oil. Also, the wine’s honeysuckle tones will complement the mild sweetness of the honey in the salad dressing.

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