Ever revisited a recipe you loved as a kid and discovered that it totally still hits?
Ramen Noodle Salad was one my Mom’s specialties, and it’s a gem. I’ve taken that same recipe and made a couple updates to nix the added sugar without compromising flavor.
Mom always added chicken so this turns into a protein forward entree all on its own.
Why Everyone Loves This Salad
- The Crunch! Toasted ramen noodles, buttery almonds, crisp cabbage and shredded carrots.
- High protein. Sliced chicken breast turns a potluck side into a satisfying weeknight meal.
- No added sugar in the dressing. Sweetened with honey and fresh ginger.
- Ready in 30 minutes. Quick enough for a Tuesday, impressive enough for company.
- Flexible for your kitchen. Use rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken, or whatever cooked chicken you've got.
How to Make Chinese Chicken Ramen Salad
- Cook the chicken. Season chicken breasts with a little salt, then cook however you like. Pan-seared, grilled, or baked. Slice thin once they've rested. (Or skip this step entirely and use rotisserie chicken.)
- Toast the ramen and almonds. Break up the ramen noodles while they're still in the packet (satisfying, I promise). Melt a tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat, then add the broken noodles and almonds. Stir frequently until everything is golden and nutty, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Oven method: Spread the broken noodles and almonds on a baking sheet and toast at 375°F for 5-7 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
- Make the dressing. Whisk together avocado oil, rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, ginger paste and both seasoning packets from the ramen.
- Toss it all together. Add the cabbage, carrots, and scallions to a big bowl. Top with the sliced chicken, toasted ramen and almonds, then drizzle the dressing over everything. Toss until it's all coated and the crunch is evenly distributed.
- Serve immediately for maximum crunch, or see the storage notes below if you're making this ahead.
Make It Your Way: Tips & Swaps
Just like a lot of my recipes, there's endless opportunities to make substitutions depending on your tastes and what you have on hand.
The chicken: Use whatever cooked chicken you have. Sliced chicken breast is my go-to for texture, but rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken, ground chicken or even leftover chicken thighs all work beautifully. Of course, this can also be served sans chicken for a vegetarian dish.
The crunch: Slivered almonds are classic, but sliced almonds or roughly chopped cashews are great too. For a nut-free version, try toasted sunflower seeds or pepitas.
The veggies: Short on time? Grab a bag of coleslaw mix from the produce section. It's mostly shredded cabbage and carrots, which is exactly what you need. I like adding purple cabbage for color, but it's optional. Thinly sliced snap peas or edamame would be nice additions if you want to bulk it up!
The dressing: This version skips adding granulated sugar like the original and instead honey and ginger do the work. If your ramen doesn't come with a seasoning packet (or you've already tossed it), add a splash more soy sauce and a pinch of garlic powder. If you don't have ginger paste (found in the produce section at most grocery stores) ground ginger works just fine.
Joanie's Balanced Bites for Blood Sugar
What's Already Working
This salad's got a lot of good things going on. Plenty of protein from the chicken. Healthy fats from the nuts and dressing. Fiber from all that cabbage and carrots.
The ramen noodles and seasoning packet aren't nutritionally adding much to the equation, but they do add satisfaction and flavor. Super important in my book!
How to Enjoy It
If you're watching your carbs, you can cut the recipe down to a half package of noodles, or skip them entirely. It's honestly still super tasty and filling.
Want to add more?
- Extra fiber: Top with sliced avocado.
- Extra protein: Toss in some shelled edamame.
Browse ➡️ Blood Sugar-Friendly Recipes
Storage & Leftovers
Making it ahead: You can prep everything in advance. Cook the chicken, toast the ramen and almonds, slice the veggies, and whisk the dressing. Just keep the toasted ramen and almonds separate until you're ready to serve because they'll lose their crunch as the dressing soaks in.
Storing leftovers: Leftover salad keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. But the noodles will soften overnight. It's still delicious, though! Just more of a noodle salad vibe than a crunchy one. Some people prefer it that way.
Want more Salads?
Asian Chicken Ramen Salad
- Prep Time: 40
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: salad
- Cuisine: Asian
Description
This Chicken Ramen Salad is a hearty entree salad with a savory dressing that brings veggies to life. Crunchy, light, satisfying, and packed with good-for-you ingredients, this salad is sure to make it into your regular weeknight dinner rotation.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs cooked chicken breast
- 1 - 3 oz package of your favorite flavor of ramen noodles, uncooked, including the seasoning packet
- 2 Tbs unsalted butter
- ½ cup slivered or sliced almonds
- 10 cups cabbage, shredded *see notes
- 1 cup carrot, shredded
- 4 scallions, sliced
- ½ cup avocado or vegetable oil
- ½ cup rice wine vinegar
- ¼ c soy sauce
- 2 Tbs sesame oil
- 2 Tbs honey
- 1 tsp ginger paste or ground ginger
Instructions
- Prepare your chicken breast if not using a rotisserie chicken and once cooked, set aside to prep the other components.
- While the ramen noodle package is still sealed, using your hand or a rolling pin, break up the noodles inside the package. Set the seasoning packet to the side.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 Tbs unsalted butter along with the broken noodles and slivered almonds.
- Toss the noodles and almonds in the butter and let them get nice and golden, stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Once nicely toasted, transfer the noodles and almonds to a bowl and set aside.
- Next, in a large bowl that you can use to toss a large salad, combine the cabbage, carrot, and scallions.
- Next, make your dressing by shaking or whisking together the oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, and ginger paste along with the seasoning packet from the ramen in a mason jar or other salad dressing jar.
- When you are ready to serve, add the cooked chicken, toasted ramen and almonds, and all of the dressing to the bowl with the veggies. Toss until fully incorporated and serve.
- This also makes great leftovers. The noodles will be soft the next day and the flavors just keep getting better. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- You can use red or green cabbage or both!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 675.6 mg
- Fat: 38.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 33.4 g
- Fiber: 5.7 g
- Protein: 26.8 g
- Cholesterol: 101.4 mg
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!