summer salad

I made some potstickers/gyoza for my friends recently, and I called my sister to see what I should serve with it. And she suggested making a simple cucumber salad with shredded poached chicken, and I thought that was genius. So I did just that, and it was a hit! So for my dear friends who were at dinner that night, here's a really vague recipe. Adjust things to your liking.

Asian Cucumber & Chicken Summer Salad
Serves 4~6
1~2 English or 3~4 Japanese cucumbers, sliced VERY thin (if you can't find English or Japanese cucumbers, use American cucumbers, but scoop out the seeds and peel the skin before slicing)
1 vidalia onion, sliced VERY thin (you can use any other onion, but remember to soak or rinse a little longer if you choose not to use a vidalia)
1~2 chicken breasts, poached, shredded and cooled
1/2 head of nappa cabbage, savoy cabbage, or even lettuce would work great (optional) (I used arugula in this photo and it was tasty, so really, almost any green would work well, I think), sliced fairly thin
1 carrot, grated (optional)
1/2 block of silken tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes (optional)
2 T toasted white sesame seeds
2 T sesame oil
2~4 T rice vinegar
juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 T soy sauce

1. In a small bowl, place the thinly sliced onion, and cover with water. Let soak for a good 15 minutes or so. If you don't have that kind of time, place in a colander and rinse under cool water for a couple of minutes. This takes down a lot of that harsh onion-ey flavor.
2. Place all ingredients in a large bowl, and toss to combine. Adjust flavors to your liking.