Asian Chicken Salad

Prep Time:
18 min 

Cook Time:
10 min

Level:
Easy

Serves:
4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
Salad:

1 large carrot, peeled
3 cups shredded napa cabbage, from 1 small cabbage
3 cups shredded romaine lettuce, from 1 small lettuce
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and deveined, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh Thai basil leaves or fresh mint leaves, chopped** see Cook's Note
2 cups thinly sliced store-bought rotisserie chicken (about 2 small chicken breasts)
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted** see Cook's note
1 tablespoon toasted white or black sesame seeds*

Note: I just marinade chicken in Yoshidas sauce and grill it rather than buying a rotisserie chicken.

Dressing:

1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar*
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, optional

Directions

1/2 cup chow mein noodles, for garnish

For the salad: Using a vegetable peeler, shave the carrot and add to a large salad bowl. Stir in the cabbage, lettuce, pepper, Thai basil, chicken, almonds, and sesame seeds.

For the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, if using.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Garnish with the chow mein noodles and serve.

*Cook's Note: can be found in specialty Asian markets

**Cook's Note: To toast the slivered almonds, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly golden. Cool completely before using.

SERVINGS: 4 (MAIN); Calories: 374; Total Fat 25 grams; Saturated Fat: 3.5 grams; Protein: 21 grams; Total carbohydrates: 19 grams; Sugar: 9 grams Fiber: 8 grams; Cholesterol: 36 milligrams; Sodium: 349 milligrams

Sumi Salad

Ingredients:

• Half a head of cabbage
• half a head of lettuce (romaine)
• 2 packages of Ramen Noodles
• 1/4 C packaged sesame seeds
• 1/4 C sliced almonds
• Poppy seed dressing (marie's, marzetti's, or lighthouse)

Directions:

1. Saute in 2 T oil the crushed ramen noodles, sesame seeds, and almonds until golden brown.
2. Thinly slice the cabbage and lettuce and mix in bowl.
   
3. Mix all together just before serving and toss with approx 3/4 of a jar of poppy seed dressing.

Fajita Chop-Chop Salad

Hands-on Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes (includes marinating time)
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• FOR THE STEAK
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 (8-ounce) skirt steaks
• FOR THE SALAD
• 1 large head Romaine lettuce, finely shredded
• 1 medium red pepper, chopped
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn, cooked and cooled

• 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack
• tortilla chips or strips (optional)
• FOR THE DRESSING
• 1/2 cup prepared salsa
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Add the steaks and toss well to coat them. Marinate the steaks in the refrigerator for one hour. In another large bowl, toss all the ingredients for the salad except for the chips or strips. Refrigerate this mixture until you're ready to use it.

2. Prepare a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to high. Grill the meat until the desired doneness is reached, about 3 minutes per side for medium. Alternately, the meat can be broiled in the oven with the rack approximately four inches from the heating element. Allow 3 to 4 minutes per side for cooking. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes, then slice it into 1/2-inch-thick strips.

3. Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Add 1/4 cup to the salad bowl and toss the salad. To serve, fill each bowl with salad, then top it with several strips of steak and a few tortilla chips or strips, if using. Serve the remaining dressing on the side.,
   

Notes: This is delicious with chicken instead of steak, to change it up a little

Pei Wei Spicy Chicken Salad

Salad

1-2 heads Romain lettuce
2 tomatoes (chopped)
sugar snap peas (halved)
1 carrot (chopped)
3 sprigs basil (chopped) -*I actually didn't use basil, I used Cilantro...Yummers!
1 bunch green onions (chopped)

Spicy Chicken

2 chicken breasts cubed and coat in corn starch or flour. Heat peanut oil in skillet. Add chicken and cook til done. Stir in entire pouch of Lee Kum Kee sauce for orange chicken (I bought at Safeway). Bring to a simmer.

Lime Vinaigrette
Juice from 2 limes
2 T. water
1 T. sugar
salt & pepper to taste
Oil

Notes: Jaxon did not eat that well. Could also have the chicken over rice rather than lettuce. Next time try to just cook the chicken in the sauce rather than fry to make it a little healthier.