Chicken Salad Wonton Cups with Sesame King Tahini Dressing

Please note that I was given samples of Sesame King Tahini to taste.  All thoughts & opinions, as always, are honest & my own.  

Lunchtime is a constant struggle.  Sandwiches can get very boring, very quickly, but it can also takes alot of effort to make workday meals (of any kind, but especially lunch) delicious.  I've been known to grab a handful of snacks in my 'gotta-get-out-the-door-NOW!' scramble & call it lunch.  Won't tell you how many times I did that last month...

I'm getting better though.  Orzo, bread or quinoa salads with whatever protein, cheese & veggies are hanging out in the fridge are becoming staples in our house.  These dishes make for good dinners & even better lunches the next day.  But, I don't want something so carb-heavy everyday.  Well, that's a lie.  I want all the bread, all the time, but my ass doesn't.

Chicken Salad Wonton Cups are a nice change from normal, have a little crunch, loads of produce & can still be made in a few minutes.  With ingredients that you just might have in the fridge, or can easily pick up, these bites are winners.  You can even buy the produce pre-cut & chicken cooked, which only adds to the lunchtime appeal of these guys.  They would even make for a fun, quick & hearty appetizer.  And if you're not wanting the chicken, but still need a shot of protein, swap it out for edamame.

 While I love the mix of veggies, sweetness from the pineapple & crispy crunch of the wonton cups, the tahini dressing really puts the taste over the top.  The nuttiness of the Sesame King Tahini is rich & the hint of garlic is just enough to be delicious, but not overwhelming.  And their products are made with 100% sesame seeds & with no preservatives, fillers or GMOs.  (yeah!)  Sesame King was so easy to work with that I've been thinking of all kinds of uses since I cracked the jar open.  Marinades, dipping sauces & of course hummus would all be extra-delectable with a dose of garlic tahini.

You can order Sesame King Tahini, get recipes, read up on their products & more on their website here.  Some Whole Foods Markets, & Amazon also carry Sesame King.          

Chicken Salad Wonton Cups with Sesame King Tahini Dressing

Inspired by the recipe, Vietnamese Chicken Wonton Cups from "Pocket Pies: Mini Empanadas, Pastries, Turnovers and More" by Pamela Clark (Sterling, $16.95).  You can find Pamela Clark's recipe, on Austin360.com's food blog (Relish Austin, written by Addie Broyles), here.

Dressing

1/4 cup Sesame King Garlic Tahini

1 tablespoon Honey

3 tablespoons Soy Sauce

4 tablespoons Lime Juice

2 tablespoons Sesame Oil

Pepper, to taste

Chicken Salad

2 cups Rotisserie or grilled Chicken, shredded

2 - 3 Carrots, shredded (about 2 cups)

1/3 head Cabbage, shredded thinly

1 red Bell Pepper, sliced

4 Scallions, sliced thin

1/2 cup fresh Pineapple, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 large handful Cilantro leaves (Parsley if you prefer)

Sesame Seeds, toasted, or Almonds, chopped for Garnish

Wonton Cups

48 Wonton Wrappers

Spray Olive, Coconut or Canola Oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine all dressing ingredients in a mason jar, with the lid tightly secured, & shake to combine.  Set aside.

Shred chicken, chop all vegetables & the pineapple if needed.  Combine chicken, vegetables, pineapple & cilantro leaves in a large mixing bowl.  Dress the mixture with half to two-thirds of the dressing & taste.  If it seems dry, add additional dressing until desired taste is achieved.  Add salt & pepper to taste.

Spray muffin tin with a little spray olive or canola oil (nonstick spray if preferred).  Spray 2 wonton wrappers with oil & arrange, overlap & fold to create a single cup, using the muffin tin as a mold/container for your finished wonton cup.  Bake 6 -8 minutes until cups are browned.

Fill wonton cups with chicken mixture & garnish with sesame seeds or almonds.  (Or both!)

Makes 24 cups