Have your salads been a bit limp and lackluster lately? This Grilled Chicken Ramen Salad will bring you out of the slump with a very crunchy, Asian-inspired dish. The ramen noodles are slightly toasted, so they maintain their texture, and fresh snow peas and crumbled bacon add to that. Add the tangy vinaigrette to your Grilled Chicken Ramen Salad and you have a lunch worth closing your work computer for.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
- 2 (3-ounce) packages ramen noodles, crumbled, seasoning packets reserved for another use
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 (14-ounce) package coleslaw mix
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced
- 3 cups fresh snow peas, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 2 cups carrots, shredded
- 4 cups mixed salad greens, torn
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup bacon, optional, cooked and crumbled
- vinaigrette, optional, to taste, for serving
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the grill to medium heat.
Step 2 –Lightly grease a grill rack.
Step 3 –In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the canola oil over medium-low heat. Add the ramen noodles and cook until they are toasted, about 5-8 minutes.
Step 4 –Remove the ramen from the pan and set the noodles aside.
Step 5 –In a small bowl, whisk the remaining canola oil, the sesame oil, the vinegar, the sugar, and the soy sauce until blended, then set it aside.
Step 6 –Sprinkle the chicken with the pepper and the salt.
Step 7 –Place the chicken on the prepared grill rack.
Step 8 –Grill, covered, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 degrees F, about 8-10 minutes on each side.
Step 9 –Let the chicken cool slightly, then chop it into 1/2-inch pieces.
Step 10 –In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw mix and the cilantro.
Step 11 –Layer the coleslaw mixture, the peas, the chicken, the carrots, the salad greens, the noodles, and the green onions in an 8-10-quart dish.
Step 12 –Sprinkle with the bacon and serve the salad with the vinaigrette.