Chinese Chicken Salad
Am I the only mom who is tired of eating PB&J and mac ‘n cheese alongside the kids at lunchtime? Oh, good! I figured I wasn’t alone!
Instead of prepping a second “mom” lunch every day of the week when I’m short on time (which is usually why I end up with a bowl of mac) I’ve started making one large serving Sunday nights. That way, I can munch on it all week. Extra perk – my two year old is often intrigued by what mommy is eating and usually gives my meal and bite or two. Three cheers for boosting her flavor palate!
One of my all time favorite mom meals is Chinese Chicken Salad. And honestly, my husband enjoys it too so really, this recipe is good for much more than just a mom lunch. It’s quite filling since it’s full of protein and super simple to whip together.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or diced
- 1 head of cabbage, washed and chopped into bite-size pieces
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- Dash of salt and pepper
- 1 package of plain Top Ramen noodles, uncooked and crushed into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup of cashews, chopped
DIRECTIONS
- Lightly season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and bake at 375 for 20 minutes or so. Allow to cool and shred or dice. You can skip this step if you have leftover rotisserie chicken – that works great in this recipe.
- Prepare your cabbage and place in a large bowl. These bowls are my favorite because they come with lids. That means you save yourself dishes since you can mix, serve and store all in the same bowl. WIN!
- Whisk together olive oil, sugar, rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper – this is the dressing. You can either toss it immediately with the cabbage or add it each time you scoop a bowl of salad. I opt to add it right away because it softens the cabbage a bit and I don’t mind the “sogginess” day after day. Cabbage is so much heartier than regular lettuce so I say soggy lightly.
- Sprinkle the salad with chicken, crushed Top Ramen and cashews.
That’s it! Pour yourself a glass of your favorite beverage and enjoy your mom lunch!