Shanghai Chicken Salad

Shanghai Chicken Salad

I adapted this recipe from one in "The Good Carb Cookbook."  I discovered this recipe while on maternity leave, and have made it about once a week thereafter.  This recipe is easy, tastes great, and is healthy, too.  Babysitters, grandparents, and even little "Lucky" love this dish.  I frequently take this recipe to work to eat on my lunch break since it is served cold.

Secret's out - we buy chicken and fish from Sam's, and it is frozen when we buy it.  One large bag of 5 oz portions will last us about 3-4 weeks.  It is so easy to defrost in the microwave, marinate, and throw on the George Forman Grill or into the oven for a baked recipe.  You can also put the frozen chicken directly into a pot of boiling water for use in recipes like the one below.  I am sure there are those who have arguments against using frozen chicken, but it works for us.

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Shanghai Chicken Salad

Ingredients
8 ounces fettuccine
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup plus 2 Tb Sesame-Ginger Dressing (below)

Cook the noodles until al dente.  Drain and toss with chicken, green onions, and cucumber.  Pour the dressing over the mixture and toss gently.  Cover the salad and chill for 2 hours before serving.  

Serve over a bed of fresh spinach leaves with extra dressing.

Sesame-Ginger Dressing
1/2 cup rice vinegar (I made this yesterday with Red Wine Vinegar because I didn't have rice vinegar)
1/2 cup orange juice
4 Tb reduced-sodium soy sauce
4 Tb creamy peanut butter
2 Tb olive oil
2 Tb light brown sugar
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp ground ginger

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.   Refrigerate.

Changing it up

• If you are in the mood for a little spice, add a few red pepper flakes to the dressing before blending.
• Instead of cucumber, I have also chopped a zucchini and blanched it with the noodles just before draining.  I like the flavor cucumber adds to the mix a little better; but the zucchini is nice, too.