Chinse Chicken Salad

Told you the salads would keep coming... :) Three in a row!


You've probably had a variation of this salad, but this particular recipe is the best, in my opinion. I originally got the recipe in BYU's cooking class, but I've adapted it to perfectly suit our family's tastes. It's tangy and crunchy and pretty to look at. :) Btw, do I cook anything that doesn't involve cilantro? Definitely my all-time favorite ingredient.

Dressing:
1/2 cup canola oil
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
6 Tablespoons vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 packet of chicken flavored Ramen seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Salad:
1 bunch of green onions, sliced
half a head of cabbage, sliced (I use both purple and green for the color)
1 small bunch of cilantro (or half of a larger bunch - to taste)
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
1 package Ramen noodles
1 can mandarin oranges, drained (not pictured)
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and sliced

Combine the dressing ingredients by whisking vigorously. Refrigerate.

Break up the Ramen noodles into small pieces and place on a baking sheet. Add sesame seeds and almonds. Broil under high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until golden. (Watch carefully to avoid burning.)

Prep vegetables and assemble the salad.

Erica's Notes

• The chicken can be prepared any way you like. When I'm grilling chicken, I like to grill extra to have on hand for meals like this. It makes this salad super easy to throw together if you already have a grilled chicken breast in the fridge, ready to slice and place on top of the salad. Or you could skip the chicken altogether if you're serving this salad as a side dish, rather than a main dish.
• I skip toasting the almonds because almonds are healthiest raw.
  
• Did you know cabbage is totally a power vegetable? This is a great way to get your family to eat it! I recently read this article and have been trying to pack more (and different) vegetables into our diet.