Hello! After a long hiatus–induced by defending my dissertation, graduating, and then, um, chilling out very hard in the South of France and the Dalmation Coast–I am back.

And oh, reality hurts. Ph.D. in hand, I am now working as a post-doc 9-5 and editing my book manuscript for publication in my “spare time.” Lolling on Mediterranean beaches, I am not.

So what I need–and what I figure you might need, too, if you have returned from holidays or have kids heading back to school–are fast, make-ahead recipes that pack well for desk lunches but also satisfy for dinner. Oh: and I’m assuming you also don’t want to turn on your oven, because even though work says summer is over, the weather does not.

I dug out this gem from a list of recipes given to me by my mom, a 30-year lunch packing veteran. It hits all my marks: exciting flavors (I cannot get enough of ponzu, a citrus-based sauce commonly used in Japanese cuisine), lots of crunch (hi, sugar snap peas!), filling, and travels well to work. Oh, and it takes less than 45 minutes to make a batch that will tide you through nearly a full work week of lunches.

The grind is back. Let this help you deal.

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Previously:
One year ago: Ratatouille
Two years ago: Sweet Corn Tofu Frittata with Roasted Cherry Tomato Compote

And for my Australians:
Six months ago: Smoky Overnight Black Beans
One and a half years ago: Kale Salad With Farro, Parmesan, Pine Nuts, and Dried Fruit

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Asian Chicken Salad with Snap Peas and Bok Choy

Adapted from Bon Appétit via Epicurious via my mom
Serves 5-6, depending on how much you eat for lunch and how big your bok choy are

Ingredients

Salad
1.5 pounds (680g) your choice of boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (you know, a big handful or two)
3-4 green onions, sliced
12 ounces (340g) sugar snap peas (snow peas would work in a pinch, but the sugar snap peas are really nice here)
5-6 baby bok choy, thinly sliced crosswise (eyeball this: I have found what is called “baby” bok choy varies vastly in size. Mine were nearly full-sized so I went with only 4)
2 English hothouse cucumbers, quartered lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise

Dressing
generous pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup (118mL) ponzu
5 tablespoons (74mL) rice wine vinegar
5 tablespoons (74 mL) vegetable oil
2 tablespoons peeled, minced fresh ginger (or to taste–I love ginger, so I always add even more)

Instructions

Boil a pot of water and salt. Add the chicken breasts or thighs; reduce heat to medium and poach chicken until just cooked through, about 20 minutes. (You can cut into the middle to test for doneness–you shouldn’t see any pink.) Transfer hot chicken to a cutting board to let cool. Don’t dump out the water!

Add snap peas to same skillet of water; increase heat to high and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. When in doubt, undercook: you don’t want these to lose their crunch. Drain, then either dunk in ice water or rinse under cold water to cool and stop cooking.

Shred chicken. Toss chicken, cilantro, green onions, snap peas, bok choy, and cucumber in a large bowl.

Whisk all of the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl. (Or: dump them all in a mason jar and shake until combined.)

Dress only the part of the salad that you intend to eat straight away. Serve!

Notes

Cooking for leftovers? The leftover dressing does not need to be refrigerated (but the leftover salad, of course, does).

Bringing this to work? Try transporting your dressing in a leftover, empty spice container. No leaks, no oily dressing all over your lunch bag.