Asian Chicken Salad

The first time I had this salad was back in October of last year.  I was in Georgia visiting old friends and they shared this recipe with me.  I LOVED it!  Not only is it pretty to look at with the red cabbage and green onions, but it tastes FABULOUS.  There is so much fun for your mouth - crunchy cabbage and almonds, soft yet firm ramen noodles, and the slight spice of cilantro.  The recipe makes a lot: doubling it would definitely feed a crowd.  And for a great price!  Many of the ingredients are super cheap.  I plan to take this next time I'm invited to a potluck.

The dressing comes from a bottle, and while I'm usually more inclined to make my own dressing, I doubt I could top the flavor of this one.  It's Ken's Steak House Lite Asian Sesame with Ginger & Soy:

You'll only use 1/2 a bottle for the recipe below, but the flavor of this stuff is amazing.  You won't regret having some left over.

This can be made the day before, but I really think it's best the day of (though it does need to chill an hour or so for the flavors to fully develop).  I've eaten it 2 days later and still been happy with it.  I've been told it holds up left out in the heat on a buffet, but haven't tried that out yet myself.

ASIAN CHICKEN SALAD
serves 6 as a main dish, 8-10 as a side

1/2 head red cabbage, shredded (thinly sliced and chopped)
2-3 cups shredded, cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken works!)
3 pkgs. (3 oz each) ramen noodles (Oriental or Chicken flavor are best)
1 bunch green onions, sliced
heaping 1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro (about 1/2 a bunch)
1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds (plus more for garnish, if desired)
1/2 bottle Ken's Steak House Lite Asian Sesame with Ginger & Soy dressing

In a large bowl, toss chicken with about 1/4 cup of dressing.  Set aside.

In a skillet over medium heat, toast sesame seeds and almonds just until fragrant and light, light brown.  Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of water mixed with ramen flavor packets to a boil.  Break ramen into quarters like so:

Add ramen to boiling water and cook for 30 seconds (this is to simply soften the noodles slightly, not cook them); drain and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.  Remove to a cutting board and roughly chop the ramen:

Add the cabbage, ramen, onions, cilantro, almonds, and sesame seeds to the chicken in the large bowl.  Toss with about 1/2 the bottle of dressing, or to taste.  Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving. 

Fried Rice

I've tried a lot of fried rice recipes over the years, trying to find one that is a copycat for the fried rice you get from a place like Panda Express or your local Chinese restaurant.  I never really found something that tasted right and was therefore worth making at home.  Until now.  This recipe, to me, is almost identical in flavor to restaurant fried rice!  My husband and daughter, who both always order fried rice, agreed and gave this two thumbs up.

Some key things to remember: you get a better result when you use day-old cooked rice (though you certainly don't HAVE to wait that long) and when you don't cook your rice too soft or sticky.  A good rule of thumb is to use one cup of water for every cup of rice.  So 2 cups of rice + 2 cups of water should yield the 4 cups of cooked rice needed for this recipe.

FRIED RICE
slightly adapted from Kittencal's Best Chinese Fried Rice With Egg

3 eggs
1 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
4 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup soy sauce (I use low-sodium) + more, to taste
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 green onions, chopped (optional)

In a small bowl, beat the eggs with water.  Melt the butter in a large skillet or wok over medium heat.  Pour in the eggs and leave flat for about 2 minutes or until cooked through; remove to a plate and chop. 

Heat the vegetable oil in the same skillet and add onion and peas and carrots; saute until onion is softened and peas and carrots are cooked through - about 4-5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Add rice.

Drizzle soy sauce and sesame oil evenly over rice mixture and stir or toss over heat for about 5 minutes; add more soy sauce, if needed, to taste.  Mix in pepper, chopped eggs, and green onions, if using.  Serve hot.

Chinese Cabbage Salad

I've already shared a family recipe for Chinese Chicken Salad.  This one is a little different.  It uses Napa cabbage instead of lettuce and has a great crunchy topping made up of ramen noodles, almonds, and sesame seeds.  In case you were wondering, Napa cabbage (or Chinese cabbage) looks like this:

 image source

Most grocery stores carry it, but if you can't find it for some reason, you can substitute a head of green cabbage.

There are lots of variations of this cabbage salad.  Some include peanuts or peanut oil, others don't add chicken.  This is my favorite version so far and it comes from Your Homebased Mom.  I've only adapted it slightly.  Leigh Anne recommends using the leftovers of a rotisserie chicken (good flavor that way), but I had some diced cooked chicken already on hand.

CHINESE CABBAGE SALAD
slightly adapted from Your Homebased Mom

Topping:
1 pkg. chicken flavored ramen noodles
3 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup sesame seeds

Salad:
1 large head Napa cabbage (about 2 1/2 lbs.), chopped
6 green onions, chopped
2 1/2 cups diced, cooked chicken
1 can mandarin oranges, drained; optional

Dressing:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. sesame oil

Break up the ramen noodles into small pieces, reserve the flavor packet.  Melt the butter over medium heat in a skillet; add the noodles, almonds, and sesame seeds and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown.  Watch it carefully so the sesame seeds don't burn.  Stir in the flavor packet and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, combine chopped cabbage, green onions, mandarin oranges (if using) and chicken.  In a jar or resealable container, add dressing ingredients and shake to combine.  Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.  Sprinkle with crunchy topping.

Alternately, you can serve the dressing on the side.

Shoyu Chicken

I originally posted this recipe back in October of 2009.  I never liked the crummy photo that accompanied it and I finally decided to update it.  I plan to occasionally update some of my older posts with new photos this year, but I'll still post new recipes as well.

This recipe comes from my mom. She grew up in Hawaii where you find a large mix of Asian cultures. Shoyu is the Japanese name for soy sauce.


SHOYU CHICKEN

3-4 lbs. bone-in chicken thighs, skins removed and trimmed of fat
1 cup soy sauce (I highly recommend the less-sodium variety)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger root (or 1 tsp. ground ginger)
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. cornstarch + 2 Tbsp. water
Sliced green onions for garnish, optional

In a large pot, stir together the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, ginger, garlic, and sesame seeds.  Add chicken thighs and stir to coat.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove chicken to a plate and whisk in cornstarch mixture to sauce; cook for another 2 minutes.  Serve chicken with sauce over white or brown rice.  Garnish with green onions, if desired. 

Mongolian Beef

My husband is always on my case to try making more Asian food (I cannot for the life of me find a chow mein recipe I like).  This recipe is touted as a copycat of P.F. Chang's Mongolian Beef.  Since I've never had their Mongolian Beef, I have no idea if it's a perfect match or not.  All I know is I really enjoyed it and so did my husband and daughter. 

And it's really not such a complicated recipe that I'll only make it once in a blue moon.  Pretty much the only thing holding me back is the price of beef, specifically flank steak.  Luckily my local grocery store had some thin-sliced beef for fajitas on sale, so I grabbed it and did a little dance of joy (please tell me I'm not the only one who does that).  Whatever beef you use, you want to slice it thinly (1/4-inch thick or less) and against the grain.  For more info on that, check out this video.

MONGOLIAN BEEF
slightly adapted from Tish's recipe on Food.com

1 lb. flank steak (or another cut of lean beef - see above)
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. minced or grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup soy sauce (I prefer the less-sodium variety)
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying
3 green onions, sliced on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces

Slice the beef into 1/4-inch thick slices against the grain.  In a bowl, toss the beef with the cornstarch until evenly coated.  Set aside.

In a saucepan, heat 2 tsp. oil over medium-low heat.  Add garlic and ginger to the pan and stir for about 15 seconds, then add soy sauce and water.  Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce and increase heat to medium.  Bring sauce to a boil and simmer for about 2-3 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.  Set aside.

In a wok or skillet, heat 1/2 cup oil over medium heat.  Cook slices of beef in oil in 2-3 batches for about 2 minutes each or until edges start to brown.  Remove beef with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate, then discard the oil from the wok or skillet. 

Return pan to heat and add the meat back into it; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add the sauce and cook for one minute more while stirring to coat.  Add the green onions and cook for one more minute; remove from heat and serve over steamed rice.

Orange Sesame Chicken

This was very popular in our house the night I made it.  Even in spite of the fact that I served it with a side of broccoli.  I was surprised at how good it was and it's relatively easy and quick!  The recipe comes from a wonderful food blog called Jamie Cooks It Up that I discovered through (what else) Pinterest.  Jamie has lots of delicious recipes, all with beautiful photos - you should check her out.

Now this recipe calls for a few ingredients that not everyone has on hand (I do, but that's because I cook a lot of Asian-inspired food).  You'll need rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.  Personally, I think it's worth investing in these ingredients (they really aren't expensive) because I have a feeling you will add this recipe into your weekly or monthly routine.  And they are ingredients that can be used in lots of other tasty recipes like Chinese Chicken Salad, Teriyaki Chicken, and Korean BBQ Beef, to name a few.

ORANGE SESAME CHICKEN
from Jamie Cooks It Up!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
1/8 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Sauce:
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (from 2 large oranges)
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
4 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. orange zest (1 orange should be enough)
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Garnish:
1Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
sliced green onion, if desired

Mix flour and salt in a medium sized bowl.  Cut chicken into bite-sized chunks and toss in the flour mixture, making sure all sides are coated.

Mix together all sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat.  Add chicken pieces to skillet (I did this in two batches) and brown on both sides.  Reduce heat to med-low and add sauce to skillet; stir to coat chicken and simmer for 5-10 minutes, or until sauce is thickened and chicken is cooked through.  Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions, if desired.  Goes well with steamed rice.

Chinese Chicken Salad

We've had this recipe in my family for years.  My mother got it from my aunt Renee, who was a wealth of yummy recipes.  This salad is always popular and can serve as a light main course or tasty side.

Traditionally, we've made this with iceberg lettuce, though romaine works as well.  I had to use greenleaf lettuce this time around because neither the iceberg nor romaine looked any good at the store recently.  I don't recommend it.  Greenleaf is way too flimsy to hold up to dressing for more than 10 minutes.  Wilty lettuce is very disappointing.

The best ingredient in this salad, in my humble opinion, is the fried wontons.  Usually we just fry up half a package of won ton wrappers and then break them into bite-size pieces, but lately I have discovered these beauties:

Pre-made crunchy won ton strips!  How cool is that?  Now I don't have to listen to my smoke detector go off while I fry won tons.  I found them in the produce section of my local Fry's (that's the same as Kroger or Smith's).  However, it was a miracle that I saw them because they were hanging up high, over the refrigerated salad dressing.  I mean, how often do you look up in the produce section?  There were even a couple of flavored varieties.  I thought the Ginger and Garlic sounded yummy.  If you can't find them, don't despair.  Here is a video that shows you how easy it is to make your own fried won tons (though I recommend using a pair of tongs instead).

CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD

1 lb. chicken breast, cooked and diced
1 large head of lettuce (iceberg or romaine), rinsed and chopped
3-4 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup sliced almonds
3 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1/2 pkg. of won ton wrappers, fried and broken in pieces
     (or a 3.5 oz bag of crunchy won ton strips)

Marinade for chicken:
3 Tbsp. soy sauce (I like the low-sodium variety)
1 Tbsp. sugar

Dressing:
4 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
6 Tbsp. rice vinegar (found in Asian food section of grocery store)

In a medium bowl, mix together the soy sauce and 1 Tbsp. sugar for marinade.  Add the chicken and toss to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour to soak up flavor.

Combine dressing ingredients in a jar or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid.  Shake until well mixed.

In a large bowl, combine chopped lettuce, chicken, green onions, almonds, and sesame seeds.  Pour on the dressing, a little at a time (you probably won't need all of it), tossing the salad to coat.  Mix in won tons just before serving.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

Here is a recipe I've been using for a couple of years now. You can make it as spicy as you can handle. I have an 8-year-old daughter so I don't make it very spicy at all. It's great served over steamed rice.

SWEET AND SPICY CHICKEN
adapted from Sweet, Sticky and Spicy Chicken on Allrecipes.com

1.5 - 2 lbs. chicken breast tenders (or b/s breasts, cut into strips)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger (or 1 tsp. ground ginger)
dash or two of hot sauce (or more if you like it spicy!)
salt & pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 green onion, sliced - optional

In a bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and hot sauce. Sprinkle tenders with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Brown tenders on both sides and remove to a plate. Reduce heat to medium and add sauce to skillet. Once it begins to boil, whisk in cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp. water, until desired consistency. Return chicken to skillet and stir to coat. Continue to cook until chicken is no longer pink. Garnish with sliced green onion, if desired.

Chicken with Orange-Ginger Sauce

I found this recipe in a publication from Sprouts (if you're not from the Southwest, it's like Whole Foods). I made a few changes and I have to say I really enjoyed this dish! It's great served with steamed rice and stir-fry veggies.

CHICKEN WITH ORANGE-GINGER SAUCE

2 - 2 1/2 lbs. chicken tenderloins
1 1/4 cup orange juice, divided
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 cup chicken broth
zest of 1 orange
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. hot sauce
2 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1/3 cup chopped green onion + more for garnish (about 2 onions)
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 Tbsp. butter
salt & pepper
sliced almonds for garnish

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup orange juice with cornstarch until dissolved; set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine remaining 1 cup orange juice, chicken broth, orange zest, soy sauce, hot sauce, ginger, 1/3 cup green onion, and garlic. Bring to a boil over medium heat; simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt butter over med-high heat. Add chicken tenderloins and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until browned on both sides and chicken is no longer pink. Remove skillet from heat.

Whisk cornstarch mixture into ginger sauce and boil for 1 minute. Pour sauce over chicken in skillet and return to heat; simmer until chicken is heated through. Garnish with almonds and green onions and serve over steamed rice.

Sweet and Spicy Green Beans

Here's something different to try if you're tired of plain steamed green beans. These go great with any Asian-flavored dish and rice. And the flavor is not too intense - just enough.

SWEET AND SPICY GREEN BEANS
adapted from Allrecipes.com

3/4 pound (12 oz) fresh green beans, trimmed
2 tsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. soy sauce (I prefer low-sodium)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. honey
dash of hot sauce
sesame seeds

Arrange a steamer basket in a pot of boiling water and steam the green beans 3-4 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, garlic, honey, and hot sauce.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; add the green beans and fry for 3-5 minutes. Pour in soy sauce mixture. Continue cooking and stirring 2 minutes, or until the liquid is nearly evaporated. Sprinkle with sesame seeds for garnish. Serve immediately.

Pacific Island Grill

I think this recipe originated from a local Hawaiian cookbook that belonged to my grandmother. It's packed full of flavor. It calls for flank steak, but as I've mentioned in past posts you can do it with a cheaper cut of meat such as London Broil. When using a cheaper, and thus less tender, cut of meat, you can tenderize it by stabbing it like crazy with a fork. And the longer you marinate the meat, the more tender it will be (overnight is best).

I just realized I've never discussed using fresh ginger root. If you aren't sure what it looks like, here is a picture:

Image via.

When picking out a root at the grocery store, choose one that is firm, not soft or squishy. I also try to pick one that doesn't have too many "arms" coming off the main body, mostly because it's easier to grate.

I know a lot of people peel the outside skin off, but I don't bother. I actually keep the root in a freezer-weight Ziploc bag in the freezer. It will keep for a long time as long as you push as much air out of the bag as possible to keep it from getting freezer burn. When I need fresh ginger root I just pull it out of the bag, grate how much I need (without thawing it), and then put it back in the bag in the freezer until next time. I think I've had my current root about 6 months now. I've had one last as long as a year ... maybe more.

PACIFIC ISLAND GRILL

2-3 lb. flank steak
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1/4 cup chopped green onions (about 2)
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar (apple cider vinegar will work as well)
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. dry ground mustard
1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients in a gallon size Ziploc bag and marinate for 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat grill to med-high heat. Grill 7-8 minutes on each side or until desired doneness. Remove to a plate and cover with foil; let rest 10 minutes. Slice against the grain to serve.

Teriyaki Chicken

My mom grew up in Hawaii with lots of Asian influences. Hence, we grew up on this chicken. It is traditionally made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but since those haven't been on sale lately around here I made it with breasts. Breasts are okay, but the thighs tend to be more juicy and flavorful and I prefer them.

There is certainly enough of the marinade to reserve some for heating and serving on the side if desired. I like pouring some on steamed white rice. Yum!

TERIYAKI CHICKEN

2+ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. minced garlic
3 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
2 green onions, chopped
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

Combine all ingredients in a gallon-size Ziploc bag and marinate in fridge for at least 2 hours.

Spray grill with cooking spray. Preheat grill to med-high heat. Grill chicken for 8-10 minutes or until done, turning once half-way through cooking time. Serve with steamed rice and veggies.

Korean BBQ Beef

Here's another fun one for the grill. Can you tell I'm liking kabobs lately? You could always grill the steak whole and then slice it. Just be sure to let it rest a few minutes before slicing.

I made these tonight using, once again, a London Broil. I sliced it thinly, against the grain (easier to do if your beef is slightly frozen and your knife is really sharp):


I forgot to do it, but you could add some unflavored meat tenderizer to the marinade. If you marinate for more than 3 hours, however, the tenderizer is unnecessary because the vinegar will do the job. I recommend marinating 8 hours if you can - you will get the best flavor that way.

And, again, for kabobs: if you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for an hour before grilling. I got 15 kabobs out of a 2 lb. steak.

KOREAN BBQ BEEF

2+ lbs. flank steak or London Broil
4 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 green onions, chopped

Slice beef into thin strips, against the grain. Combine all ingredients in a gallon-size Ziploc bag. Marinate in fridge at least 3 hours, preferably 8, flipping every hour or two.

Thread strips onto skewers, using 2 strips per skewer. Preheat grill to med-high heat. Lay skewers perpendicular to grill grate and grill for 3-4 minutes on each side or until desired done-ness.

Stir Fry

I usually don't follow a recipe when I make stir fry. I just throw stuff together and hope it tastes good. But I realized I don't have a lot of Asian-inspired food on here even though I make it fairly often. So tonight I actually paid attention to the amounts I was using and "created" a recipe.

If you don't have a wok, you can use a large saute pan. Just consider the amount of food that will need to fit in it at the end of cooking.

When it comes to cooking the chicken or pork strips, do it in batches like below:

That way you are sure to get the strips nice and browned. Throwing all of the chicken in at once will prevent your chicken from browning at all.

Also don't overcook your vegetables. You want them slightly crisp and bright green:


They are healthier for you that way!

CHICKEN OR PORK STIR FRY

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast or pork, cut in strips
1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 tsp. sesame oil (or vegetable oil)

2 cups fresh broccoli florets
2 cups fresh snow peas
2 carrots, thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, sliced
6 green onions, sliced
2 Tbsp. water

SAUCE:
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth (or water)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
dash of hot sauce
1 Tbsp. cornstarch

In a medium bowl, combine chicken or pork, 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, 1 clove garlic, and 1/2 tsp. ginger. Marinate 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine all sauce ingredients until smooth. Set aside

Heat sesame oil in wok on med-high heat. Brown chicken or pork in batches, 2-3 minutes each side or until cooked through; remove to plate. Add broccoli, snow peas, carrots, celery, and water to wok. Reduce heat to medium. Cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Add onions.

Stir sauce again; add to wok. Bring to a boil and cook 1-2 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Add chicken or pork and heat through. Serve with steamed rice.

Asian Chicken Pasta Salad

As usual, I've adapted this recipe from one I found on Allrecipes.com.

The original called for bow-tie pasta. Um, yeah. Nothing says "Asian" like bow-ties. So instead I used Ramen noodles. I had some from an Asian market but you can use the packages you buy for super cheap at the grocery store or Wal-mart. Doesn't matter what flavor because you are only using the noodles.

Also, it calls for rice vinegar, but I didn't have any so I used red wine vinegar and it tasted just fine. So if you are like me and don't have rice vinegar, just substitute with what you do have. (Rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sesame seeds should be found in the Asian section at your grocery store).

One more note: I think this dish could benefit from some sliced or slivered almonds. Just a thought.

ASIAN CHICKEN PASTA SALAD

1/4 cup sesame seeds
4 (3 oz.) packages Ramen noodles, any flavor
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup less-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp. sesame oil
3 Tbsp. white sugar
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 cups diced, cooked chicken breast
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup chopped green onion
2 medium carrots, grated
*sliced or slivered almonds for garnish?

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame seeds and cook, stirring frequently until lightly toasted and fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add pasta (break each brick into at least 4 pieces so the noodles aren't too long) and cook 3-4 minutes or until slightly tender but not soft. Drain and rinse in cold water until cool. Transfer to a large bowl.

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine vegetable oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds, ginger and pepper. Shake well.

Pour dressing over pasta and toss to coat evenly. Gently mix in chicken, cilantro, green onions, and carrot. *Sprinkle with almonds.