You can't win friends with salad!

If salad became the only food there was to eat, I would be content. I love salads, minus potato salad. I'm an Idaho girl who hates potato salad. O.K. maybe I don't hate it, but I don't really care for it much. Most other salads rule. Here is my favorite.

This is my easy Oriental Chicken Salad. The original recipe I had for this has been lost through the years. I am sitting on my laptop typing this, yet I am still too lazy to use Google to see if I can find something similar. Besides, that would cancel out the point of this blog. I'm showing you how I make it, not how it's suppose to be made. I have no idea on the calories involved or nutritional information. Just remember, even though it's a salad doesn't mean it's going to be super healthy. :)

You will need:

• 2 lbs. of cole slaw or chopped cabbage
• 3-4 small to medium sized chicken breasts or breaded chicken pieces
• 4 packages of chicken flavored Ramen Noodle Soup
• 1 c. vegtable oil
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 c. roasted sesame seeds
• 1/4 c. sliced almonds 

I actually left out the sesame seeds this time because I didn't have any, and I left out the almonds because I don't like them in salad, but for those that like almonds in stuff they would probably be good. 

I probably don't have to say this but... cook your chicken as directed on the package. Bake it, fry it, deep fry it,  pan fry it, just don't use it raw. I used some breaded chicken fingers because they are good. While they are baking or whatever you are going to crush up the Ramen noodles in a large bowl. 

All crushed up.  

Save the little flavor packets that come in the noodle packages, you will use them later. Add your crushed up mix to your cole slaw or chopped cabbage. I prefer the bags of cole slaw because it is so much easier to just cut them open and dump them in a bowl. Remember, I'm too lazy to Google something, chopping cabbage is even harder. 

When your chicken is done cooking cut it up into little bite sized pieces and add to the mix. I used 3 medium size breaded chicken fingers but you can use more or less depending on what you like.

Mix everything together well. If you have the sesame seeds and almonds throw them in the mix or sprinkle them on top of each serving if others don't like nuts and seeds. The seeds are good on it, I just didn't have any and I didn't want to wait to make the salad. Again,  I can't Google, I'm certainly not going to the grocery store. 

Now we are going to make the dressing. 

Heat 1/2 c. rice vinegar in a small sauce pan, I let mine come to a boil. Add 1/2 c. sugar and stir till sugar is dissolved. Once sugar is dissolved remove from heat and add 1 c. vegetable oil and your flavor packets from the Ramen noodles. Still everything together and pour over the salad. Stir the whole sha-bang till everything is nicely coated with the dressing mixture and enjoy!! It's really good if you eat it right away, the noodles are very crisp and it's not bad at all with warm dressing. Try a bowl right away then let the rest sit in the fridge. It's really good when everything absorbs the dressing and is my favorite that way. 

Bon Appétit!