Chinese Chicken Salad
We tend to eat heavier foods come Fall/Winter because its so much cozier to eat hot comfort foods, isn’t it?! I get really tired of the heaviness of my “hibernation eating” though, and really crave a healthy meal that will fill me up without making me feel bad about it!
I love a fresh crunchy salad, no matter the time of year. I especially love a salad where I make everything myself and know that the salad really is healthy (not just slathering ranch on vegetables and calling it “healthy!”). This Chinese Chicken Salad is just that. Everything is made by you with healthy ingredients, and it tastes SO SO good! We eat it often as a main dish and we also use it as a side dish for larger gatherings-it makes a lot! When we make it for dinner, I usually keep the dressing on the side to add to each bowl separately and we save the left overs for either lunches OR we cook it into a noodle stir fry for dinner another night!!! Just place all ingredients into a wok or a skillet with a little of the dressing and cook it until the noodles are soft and the cabbage wilted! Such a delicious way to spruce up leftovers without getting bored eating the same food again!
Also, this chicken is marinated in probably the best mix of ingredients! This marinade is so delicious and perfect for just plain grilling chicken! No need to only use it for this salad, add it to your grilling recipes for a main dish!
Enjoy one of our favorite salad (and stir fry!) recipes!
Chinese Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 head Napa Cabbage
- 1 1/2 lb lb. boneless chicken breasts
- 1 bunch green onions
- 4 pkg ramen noodles – don’t use the seasoning packet
- 1 can sliced water chestnuts, chopped
- Sugar Snap Peas
- 1-2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 6 oz sliced almonds
Marinade
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil (any oil is fine)
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
Dressing
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tsp ginger
Instructions
- Place all marinade ingredients into a baking dish or ziplock bag, and add chicken.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 2 hours, but it’s better overnight. Discard marinade.
- Grill or broil chicken until well done; cool. Slice thinly.
- Crush Ramen noodles well (easiest to do before opening the package).
- Toast sesame seeds and almonds lightly in oven at 350 for a few minutes, until lightly browned.
- Wash cabbage; slice very thinly.
- Assemble all ingredients into a very large bowl or pot. Let salad sit in refrigerator for at least 10 minutes to help the noodles soften a bit before serving.
- Toss salad with dressing to serve, or serve with dressing on the side if you prefer!
