This salad is crisp, crunchy and cool with shredded cabbage, carrots and chicken breast tossed with toasted ramen noodles and slivered almonds. The dressing is an aromatic combination of orange, sesame, ginger and soy. You may want to double the dressing and save some for a salad the next day.
Ingredients
- 1 3-ounce package low-fat ramen-noodle soup mix , (see Note)
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
- 3 1/4-inch-thick slices fresh ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons orange juice
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 5 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 5 teaspoons sugar
- ¾ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 cups shredded green cabbage
- 1 medium carrot, shredded
- 3 scallions, chopped
Directions
- Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2
Crumble ramen noodles onto a large rimmed baking sheet (discard seasoning packet). Add almonds, sesame seeds and canola oil; toss to coat. Bake for 10 minutes. Stir, then bake until the noodles are golden brown, about 5 minutes more. Let cool on the pan on a wire rack.
Step 3
Meanwhile, place chicken in a medium skillet or saucepan with water to cover. Add ginger and salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently until no longer pink in the center and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 165 degrees F, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board to cool. Using forks, shred into bite-size pieces. (Discard the poaching liquid.)
Step 4
Meanwhile, combine orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil in a small bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid. Whisk or shake until the sugar has dissolved.
Step 5
Just before serving, combine the shredded chicken, cabbage, carrot and scallions in a large bowl. Add the toasted noodle mixture and the dressing; mix well.
Tips
Make Ahead Tip: Refrigerate the vegetables, toasted noodle mixture, chicken and dressing in separate containers for up to 1 day. Toss together just before serving.
Tips
Tip: Ramen noodles, usually packaged with a seasoning mix to make instant soup, are a convenient–and seemingly healthful–product. But what you may not realize is that the noodles have been deep-fried. A serving of the soup contains 8 grams of fat. Look for baked ramen, with only 1 gram of fat per serving. Be sure to check the label so you know what you’re buying.
Tips
Keep food fresh: If you’re storing food in your fridge for a few hours or more, it’s best to keep it in an airtight container or in a container covered tightly with foil. Foil is best at creating a barrier that doesn’t let unwanted flavors in (or out) while you store your food.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: about 1 1/2 cups Per Serving: 398 calories; protein 41.3g; carbohydrates 30.4g; dietary fiber 3.8g; sugars 9.1g; fat 11.8g; saturated fat 1.9g; cholesterol 96.4mg; vitamin a iu 2741.5IU; vitamin c 21.9mg; folate 100.6mcg; calcium 92.2mg; iron 3mg; magnesium 83mg; potassium 578.1mg; sodium 617.7mg; thiamin 0.3mg. Exchanges:
1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 4 lean meat, 1 1/2 fat
