What's good on a sizzling summer day"? Chinese Chicken Salad!

This week the temperatures have been soaring into the 100"s! It's always a challenge to come up with something for dinner when it's really too hot to cook. I had some leftover grilled chicken breasts to use up and that's when this recipe popped into my mind. It is from Peggy Grubb, a friend that I have had for over 40 years. We met when we were both technical recruiters in California and instantly became soul sisters. Peggy is an amazing cook and I'll be featuring more of her recipes, but I remembered this one because it was so easy and so good, especially for a hot summer night. I've done a couple of tweaks to it to kick it up a notch and I think you will enjoy it.

Peggy's Chinese Chicken Salad with a couple of additions

Salad

3 whole chicken breasts

1/4 cup of sesame seeds

1/4 cup of slivered almonds

2 3oz packages of dry Raman noodles

I head of iceberg lettuce

1 head of cabbage

1/2 shredded carrots (optional)

1 small can of mandarin oranges

4 green onions sliced thin

Dressing

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup of vegetable oil

2 teaspoons of salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons dark sesame oil (I used what I had which was regular sesame oil)

5 Tablespoons of rice vinegar

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons Hoisin sauce

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ginger

Large salad bowl

1 Cook the chicken breasts any way you like. Bake, poached, grilled. I had left rover from grilling and that's what I used.

2. Shred or cube the breasts. Since I had grilled breasts, it was easier to cube. Set aside.

3. Break up the ramen noodles. Easiest way is to do that is while they are still in the package. I used my meat tenderizer tool to break them up. Set packages aside.

4 In a non-stick fry pan, pour in the slivered almonds and sesame seeds and toast until golden brown. Does not take long so watch that they don't burn. Set aside.

5. Cut your iceberg lettuce and cabbage in half. The combination of the two is what gives this salad the crunch!

6. Thinly slice each half, rinse, dry and combine in a large bowl.

7. Open the crushed Raman noodles, discard the seasoning package, and add to the cabbage/lettuce mix. (Some people like to toast the Raman noodles. I don't but if you want to toast them do it before you toast the almonds and sesame seeds. Don't do it all together because the Raman noodles will take longer, and the others would burn.)

8. Add the shredded or cubed chicken breast. (If you are a vegetation, tofu works great!)

9. Add the shredded carrots if using.

10. Add the mandarin oranges

11. Add the slice green onions.

12. Add the toasted almonds and sesame seeds

13. Toss all of this together so that it is evenly mixed.

Now, take all the ingredients for the dressing, combine and mix thoroughly. Make sure all the sugar is dissolved. You could put this in a blender for a quick spin or I whisked it all together and then put it in a jar and shook some more! Pour a little dressing over the salad. Do not saturate or use all the dressing. Taste to see if you need more.

The original recipe says it feeds 12. I guess if you have a cup it might. I made the recipe as is, divided it in half and Kal and I devoured it all. Tonight, we have the second half. It's another hot day here in Colorado but we have cold Chinese Chicken salad and a chilled glass of white wine to cool us off!

Liz❤️