Oriental Chicken Salad

This recipe had been in my cookbook for year but I can't remember making it and I don't know where it came from.  Since I also didn't have a picture of it I had to give it a try to see if it was worthy of remaining in my cookbook.

What I liked about it is that I could do the rice salad part ahead of time and then before I served it I chopped up one romaine heart which equaled 3 C. of lettuce and tossed it with.  I sort of felt it needed maybe something sweet or something more but in the end I kept it the same and loved it.

ORIENTAL CHICKEN SALAD
1 (4.9 oz.) pkg. Rice a Roni chicken and broccoli
2 C. chopped rotisserie chicken
1 romaine heart (3 C.), chopped
1 C. shredded carrots
1 C. fresh pea pods, halved
Dressing:
½ C. mayonnaise
1 T. liquid aminos or soy sauce
¼ t. ground ginger
⅛ t. crushed red pepper flakes

Prepare Rice a Roni mix as package directs; cool.  Add remaining ingredients.  Mix well chill. Makes 8 servings.

Note:  Original recipe called for 2 C. shredded lettuce, but since romaine lettuce is heartier it doesn't wilt as quick and it is also the lettuce I always have on hand because it lasts.

This Chinese Chicken Salad has been a favorite prior to 2006 and I'm surprised I didn't see it posted already so I'm adding it here.  This one is even better because it tastes great and you have to make it 24 hours in advance so it lasts longer in the fridge if you are not sharing.   I got this recipe from Karen, a girl I met at Masses.  It wasn't till 8/7/2014 that I finally made it myself and I should have made it sooner.  She used 17 oz. of coleslaw but my package was only 14 oz. and that was fine so use the amount you find. 

CHINESE SALAD

2 pkg. beef ramen soup, noodles crushed

14-17 oz. package coleslaw mix

½ C. sunflower seeds

½ C. almonds, sliced

1 bunch green onions, sliced

Dressing:

¾ C. oil

⅓ C. vinegar

½ C. sugar

1 ramen flavor package, from soup package

In a large glass bowl, layer crushed noodles, coleslaw, sunflower seeds, almonds and green onions.  In a small bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, sugar and one ramen flavor package.  Pour over salad.  Cover and refrigerate 24 hours.  

Notes:  

• Crush noodles into tiny pieces.  If you leave large chunks they will not get as soft but a few small chunks are OK.  Best way it to break it in half and rub each piece against each other.
• The first time I made this I forgot to add the flavor package to the dressing so before I tossed the salad I sprinkled one of the packages on top, tossed and let it sit 15 minutes to combine flavors.  The next time I used both packages in the dressing and finally I did what it said.  I couldn't seem to get it right but it is a very tasty salad any way.  5/25/2020:  Learned it is even good without the seasoning package all together.

Variation:  Add 2 C. fresh broccoli florets.