Favorite Chinese Chicken Salad

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• 1/8 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chicken base
• 4 precooked boneless chicken breasts, shredded (or 5 - 6 large thighs)
• 1 large napa cabbage, shredded
• 1 -2 green onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup jicama or 1/2 cup water chestnut, thin julienned slices
• 8 ounces frozen peas and carrots, unthawed (or frozen mixed veggies)
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
• 3 tablespoons blanched slivered almonds
• 2 (3 ounce) packages uncooked oriental-flavor instant ramen noodles (save 1 seasoning mix packet for dressing) or 2 (3 ounce) packages chicken-flavored ramen noodles, crushed (save 1 seasoning mix packet for dressing)

Recipe

• 1 mix the first 7 ingredients plus the package of seasoning mix from the ramen noodles, into a saucepan and heat until all ingredients are dissolved and mixed well.
• 2 pour this warm dressing into a bowl and add the shredded chicken.
• 3 cover bowl and refrigerate dressed meat while preparing the other ingredients so that the chicken will marinade and flavor the meat.
• 4 put the 3 tablespoons of canola oil in a skillet and heat over medium heat.
• 5 brown the crushed ramon noodles, slivered almonds and sesame seeds in the hot oil until golden brown, stirring often.
• 6 drain the toasted items on paper towels and set aside.
• 7 mix the shredded napa cabbage, sliced green onions and jicama in a large bowl.
• 8 put the frozen peas and carrots into a colander and rinse well with water.
• 9 add the drained peas and carrots to the salad and mix.
• 10 with a slotted spoon, remove the marinated chicken from the dressing and add the chicken to the salad.
• 11 pour the dressing ingredients over the salad and mix well.
• 12 refrigerate salad if not serving immediately.
• 13 just prior to serving add the toasted ingredients to the salad and blend well,. (toasted ingredients will stay crunchy if not added until just before serving.).