RD Tip of the Day : Asian Slaw Salad

I love when you get to share a meal. There's something extraordinary about a seemingly ordinary meal around a table. Sharing a meal seems to bring added intimacy and an opportunity for great conversation.

My friend, Claudette, invited my husband and I over to her lovely home and made a delicious meal. The stand-out dish for me was this amazing Asian slaw salad. It was salty, a little sweet, and had a ton of crunch. She served the meal on a variety of colorful Fiesta ware. It was casual and felt special without being precious. You know that feeling? When you know someone made an effort, but it's not too fancy that you're worried about breaking something or accidentally putting your elbows on the table.

This Asian slaw salad is my entrée version of the side that I had at my friend's house. I hope you enjoy it! Here's the recipe.

Ingredients
2 cups shredded purple cabbage
2 cups shredded green cabbage
1 cup English cucumber, julienned (cut into long strips)
1 pack of ramen noodles
1/4 cup almonds, toasted
1 pound chicken
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

For the salad dressing:
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons granulate sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Equipment
Cutting board
Chef's knife
Large mixing bowl
Small mixing bowl or Mason jar
Whisk
Small sauté pan
Large, oven-safe sauté pan

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400*F. Preheat a large sauté pan. Add oil if pan is not non-stick. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Sear chicken on both sides for 5-7 minutes until golden. Transfer chicken to oven and cook until 165*F internal temperature.

In a dry sauté pan, toast almond over medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Set aside to cool.

Shred purple and green cabbage. Place in a large bowl. Julienne cucumber. To julienne, cut the cucumber in long strips. Then, cut each strip into matchstick-size rectangles. Place in the large bowl.

To make the dressing, pour canola oil, sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper into a small mixing bowl or Mason jar. Whisk until combined.

About 30 minutes before serving, pour 4 Tablespoons of dressing onto salad mixture to lightly coat. Toss to distribute evenly. **If you're not eating all the salad, wait to dress the salads individually.

Divide the salad into four bowls. Top with sliced chicken. Add a tablespoon of broken, uncooked ramen and toasted almonds. This adds delicious crunch and texture, which is super important in salad.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Make it and share it with a friend. If you want it to be a side salad, you're welcome to leave off the protein. Let me know if you make this recipe; tag me on social media!