Asian Chicken Salad

We always enjoy a crunchy meal, and this Asian inspired salad with the Napa cabbage, carrots, and rice noodles satisfies our chomping desires. The recipe uses Newman?s Own low-fat sesame ginger dressing, and when tossed to order gives this salad just the right kick with you wanting more.

Prepare all the ingredients in advance and store them in zip-type bags, when ready to serve portion out and measure what you need for each serving into a large bowl, then toss with the dressing, garnish with the rice noodles and chopped green onions for a flavorful and elegant salad in must minutes. Keeping the ingredients separated until service time gives you the advantage of serving this salad in individual portions, and tossing in the dressing just before serving, thus preventing any ingredients from getting soggy or wilted.

The recipe?

Ingredients


1
Head
Napa cabbage, shredded


1 ½
Cups
Chicken breast, cooked and cubed


1
Cup
Edamame, cooked, shelled


1
Cup
Cucumber, seeded, julienne


1
Cup
Carrots, julienne


¼
Cup
Cilantro, chopped


¼
Cup
Radishes, thinly sliced


¼
Cup
Newman?s Own Low-Fat Sesame Ginger dressing


1
Can
Mandarin oranges (11-ounces)


¼
Cup
Rice noodles


¼
Cup
Green onions, chopped


1
Tbsp
Black sesame seeds (optional)






Procedure Steps


1.
Combine the cabbage, chicken, edamame, cucumber, carrots, cilantro, radishes and dressing. Toss well to coat with the dressing. Fold in the mandarin oranges.


2.
Portion onto individually chilled salad plates, then garnish with the rice noodles, green onions, and optional black sesame seeds.

Serving Tip: When mixing the salad in small batches, and for each individual serving portion out about 1 cup of the Napa cabbage, ¼ cup each of the chicken, edamame, cucumber, and carrots, and then put all of these ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Then portion out about 1 Tbsp each of the cilantro, radishes, and dressing. Toss well, and then fold in 1 Tbsp of the oranges and then portion out evenly on individual salad plates. Garnish with 1 tbsp each of green onion, rice noodles and ½ tsp optional black sesame seeds.

Typically, Monique and I would eat this meal together, so I would portion out two servings into a large bowl, then toss well with the dressing and divide it out into the two individual salad plates. So for the two servings I would double the amounts listed above, i.e. 2 cups Napa cabbage, ½ cup chicken, etc? If you wanted to portion out four servings then you would add 4 cups Napa cabbage, 1 cup chicken, etc? make sense?

TIP: Edamame, which is green soybeans are now a staple ingredient for most grocery stores these days, not just Asian or Oriental supermarkets. Typically found in the freezer section and sometimes fresh in the produce section, either in the shell or out of the shell, edamame is sold in one pound plastic bags or containers. Edamame only takes about 5 minutes to cook by steaming or boiling, and makes a great snack or appetizer.

The single recipe yields four servings; however, we doubled the amount so that we could have enough salads for several days.

Dinner is served…another view…

Bon appetite!

CCR

=:~)

©2010 CCR