We’ve loved Ramen Noodle Salads here at Casa LCK for ages. If you’ve been to a barbecue/potluck/dinner-on-the-grounds affair in the last 25 years, chances are pretty good that you’ve had–or at least seen–ramen noodle salad before. If not, the very idea may be, well, perplexing. I first had it at a potluck barbecue and oyster roast in South Carolina, in the late 1990s. It didn’t take me long to hunt down a recipe. Don’t worry, it’s not weird. There’s a lot to love about Chicken Ramen Noodle Salad with Mandarin Oranges. It’s delicious. It’s easy. It’s economical. It’s crunchy. It’s sturdy and lasts for days in the fridge. You can take it places because it travels well. And look at how pretty it is!
I’ve fiddled with that first recipe I still have in my recipe box. The original called for a can of chicken, but I’m more likely to have shredded chicken on hand. It also called for white vinegar. I’m more likely to use apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar. It didn’t include toasted sesame oil, but I always have it, so why not toss some in? Toasted sesame oil is what makes everything taste “Asian”. That original recipe doesn’t call for mandarin oranges, but does call for white sugar. The oranges plus some reserved syrup from the can are a dandy swap.
You don’t have to make the salad a day ahead, but you do need to let it hang out in the fridge for at least a couple of hours before serving. This gives the noodles time to relax a little, and the flavors time to meld. An overnight rest is fine. The ramen noodles will continue to soften somewhat over the next couple of days, but they won’t get mushy. The almonds keep crunchiness going.
Don’t wait for a potluck opportunity to make the Chicken Ramen Salad with Mandarin Oranges, though! It’s popular at picnics, or straight out of your own fridge. Kids like it; it’s great in lunchboxes. You can increase the chicken to make it an entire meal. Likewise, if you’re taking it to a barbecue or fish fry, feel free to skip the chicken altogether. The recipe is easy to scale up or down. But do take note: the photos here show half a recipe. Princess Persnickety will be gone this weekend, so I don’t need the whole thing.
Summertime eating? Yes, ma’am! Bring it on!
Chicken Ramen Salad with Mandarin Oranges
Ingredients
Salad:
- 2 3 oz. packets instant ramen noodles, either chicken or oriental favor, crushed, seasoning packet reserved
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- 1 16 oz. bag coleslaw mix, or 6 cups total of shredded cabbage and carrots
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1½ cups cooked chicken, shredded
- 2 15 oz. cans mandarin oranges, drained, liquid reserved
Dressing:
- ½ cup olive oil or avocado oil
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1 T. soy sauce
- 1 t. toasted sesame oil, optional
- ½ t. black pepper
- reserved ramen flavoring packets
- reserved syrup from mandarin oranges to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the crushed noodles and almonds on a sheet pan in a single layer. Cook for 10-15 minutes until they smell toasted. Set aside to cool.
- Combine the dressing ingredients plus the reserved seasoning packets in a jar with a tight lid. Add a tablespoon or two of the liquid from the mandarin oranges. Shake well. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Set aside.
- Combine slaw, scallions, and chicken in a large bowl. Add the noodles, almonds, and dressing. Toss until well combined. Gently fold in the mandarin oranges. Chill for an hour or two before serving.
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