Miso Adds Richness To Chicken Salad

THE shortcut to a tastier salad does not reside in those plastic premixed bottles. Oil and vinegar work in a pinch, but at Milk Street we’ve discovered a world of simple salad dressings that go well beyond the basic vinaigrette.

In Japan, savory miso forms the base of many salad dressings, bringing an umami richness to greens without dairy. Often, the fermented soy paste is mixed with oil and lime juice or rice vinegar for brightness, plus ginger or garlic for added complexity.

For the acid, we prefer the fruity aroma of lime juice, but we also like the sharpness of Dijon mustard and a bit of sweetness from a teaspoon of honey. Whipped together in a blender, the dressing also gets body from slivered almonds.

It’s delicious on simple mixed greens, but in the recipe from our book “Milk Street Tuesday Nights,” which limits recipes to 45 minutes or