Ramen Noodle Chicken Salad

Ramen Noodle Chicken Salad

Everything is better with bacon, right??!! This salad is no exception.

I am used to the traditional chicken, cabbage and ramen salad where the dressing is made with the seasoning packet that comes in the ramen package. It’s a good salad. But one day I had dozens of extra fresh-out-of-the-garden tomatoes that I needed to use, plus some left-over bacon. I decided to throw them into the salad, because “why not.” It was a hit with my family.

Another change from tradition is a dressing that does not use the seasoning packet. My European cooking adventure taught me to find ways to make “traditional” from scratch. Since I couldn’t find traditional ramen there, I found recipes that replicate the flavor. One idea came from abountifulkitchen.com and her Ramen Salad. She used Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning and I love the spices included there. I use it for seasoning the chicken, as well as in the dressing.

The third change is the addition of a plentiful supply of vegetables. This salad becomes very colorful and much more healthy. Don’t be surprised by the addition of broccoli. I include in the recipe instructions one of my favorite ways to steam broccoli. It’s a little bit stir-fry and a little bit steam and makes the broccoli sweet and tender, and still firm.

Ingredients Needed for the Ramen Noodle Chicken Salad

• Boneless, skinless chicken
• Bacon
• Vegetables: Romaine lettuce, Savoy cabbage, Purple cabbage, Carrots, Sweet peppers, Tomatoes, Broccoli, Green onions
• Ramen: Just the cheap ramen since it is good eating uncooked. Some other ramen is not chewable when it’s uncooked.
• Olive oil
• Rice vinegar and Cider vinegar
• Honey
• Spices: celery salt, garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger, red chili flakes (optional), salt and pepper

• Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning Blend
• Lime

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How to Make the Ramen Noodle Chicken Salad:

1. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil to hot skillet. Add chicken and generously season with 1 ½ Tablespoons Mrs. Dash. Grill chicken for 2 minutes. Flip over and season generously with another 1 ½ Tablespoons Mrs. Dash. Continue cooking, flipping as necessary until chicken is no longer pink. Turn off heat, cover and let sit until salad is prepared. Dice chicken into bite-sized pieces before serving.
2. Slice bacon into thin cross-wise pieces. Fry in skillet until crispy. Drain on paper towel and set aside.
3. Thinly slice lettuce, cabbages, peppers and green onions. Shred carrots and dice tomatoes.
4. Cut broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Place in hot skillet without oil. Sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon sugar. Stir fry for 30 seconds, or until broccoli has darkened in color. Immediately pour ¼ cup water into hot skillet and let broccoli steam for 30 seconds uncovered. Remove from skillet and set aside.
5. Crumble uncooked ramen until pea-sized.
6. Make dressing by combining all ingredients and whisking together.
7. Add all ingredients, except dressing, into a large salad bowl, including chicken, bacon, ramen, and broccoli. Pour dressing over the top and toss. Serve immediately.
8. To prepare ahead of time: chop and prepare all vegetables, including slightly steamed broccoli. Cook chicken and bacon and store separately. Prepare dressing and set aside. Keep tomatoes, broccoli and green onions separate. Refrigerate all the ingredients. Then, assemble salad with dressing just before serving.

Enjoy this fun summer salad with a new little twist!

–Kim

Print Recipe

Ramen Noodle Chicken Salad

A Ramen Noodle Salad that’s more than traditional—bacon and tomatoes take this salad to a new level, plus a dressing that doesn’t need the seasoning packet to taste amazing! This salad is more healthy, has less sodium, and is packed with delicious vegetables.

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: bacon, chicken, ramen, vegetables

Servings: 6 people

Author: Kim Melanson

Ingredients

• 1-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken
• 2-3 Tablespoons Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning Blend
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound bacon sliced and cooked (or ½-¾ cup bacon bits)
• 1 head Romaine lettuce
• ¼ head Savoy cabbage
• ¼ head purple cabbage
• 2-3 large carrots shredded
• 2 red, orange, or yellow peppers thinly sliced
• 2-4 large tomatoes diced
• 1-2 heads broccoli slightly steamed (see instructions)
• 1 bunch green onions whites and greens sliced
• 2 packages uncooked ramen seasoning packet discarded

Dressing:

• ½ cups olive oil
• ¼ cups rice vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
• ¼ cup honey or to taste
• ½ teaspoon celery salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning Blend
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes optional
• 1 lime juiced optional
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

• Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil to hot skillet. Add chicken and generously season with 1 ½ Tablespoons Mrs. Dash. Grill chicken for 2 minutes. Flip over and season generously with another 1 ½ Tablespoons Mrs. Dash. Continue cooking, flipping as necessary until chicken is no longer pink. Turn off heat, cover and let sit until salad is prepared. Dice chicken into bite-sized pieces before serving.
• Slice bacon into thin cross-wise pieces. Fry in skillet until crispy. Drain on paper towel and set aside.
• Thinly slice lettuce, cabbages, peppers and green onions. Shred carrots and dice tomatoes.
• Cut broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Place in hot skillet without oil. Sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon sugar. Stir fry for 30 seconds, or until broccoli has darkened in color. Immediately pour ¼ cup water into hot skillet and let broccoli steam for 30 seconds uncovered. Remove from skillet and set aside.
• Crumble uncooked ramen until pea-sized pieces.
• Make dressing by combining all ingredients and whisking together.
• Add all ingredients, except dressing, into a large salad bowl, including chicken, bacon, ramen, and broccoli. Pour dressing over the top and toss. Serve immediately.
• To prepare ahead of time: chop and prepare all vegetables, including slightly steamed broccoli. Cook chicken and bacon and store separately. Prepare dressing and set aside. Keep tomatoes, broccoli and green onions separate. Refrigerate all the ingredients. Then, assemble salad with dressing just before serving.