Chicken-and-Spinach Salad with Toasted-Sesame Dressing

FOR THE DRESSING:
Sauté the sesame seeds in large skillet over medium heat until browned, about 3 minutes. Remove the seeds from the pan. In a blender, combine the vinegar, ginger, garlic, orange juice, sesame oil, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon of the toasted sesame seeds. Puree until smooth.

FOR THE CHICKEN:
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Sauté chicken until brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate. Set the skillet over medium heat and add 3 tablespoons water. Cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge any brown bits, until reduced to 1 tablespoon. Transfer the liquid to the blender and pulse to combine. When the chicken breasts are cool enough to handle, cut them into bite-size pieces and toss with the remaining sesame seeds.

TO SERVE:
In a large bowl, toss the spinach with the red-pepper strips and the chicken. Serve the salad with the dressing spooned over the top.

WINE RECOMMENDATION:
The herbal, grassy notes in sauvignon blanc make it well-suited to pairing with salads. Even better, its high acidity allows it to easily handle the tart orange juice in this dressing.