Recipe: Crunchy Chicken Salad

Fried ramen noodles add texture to a flavorful update on the classic

Wolfgang Puck's iconic Chinois Chicken Salad is the muse for this recipe, which uses sinus-clearing Chinese mustard, rice wine vinegar and togarashi (a Japanese spice blend) for some real flavor. And because we like crunch, and love ramen, we take it next level and fry the ramen, turning the curled noodles into airy, crispy chips.

Recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen

Crunchy Chicken Salad
5 from 38 ratings
A few key ingredients make this crunchy and spicy chicken salad one to remember-and make again and again.
Prep Time
25
minutes
Cook Time
0
minutes
Servings
4
to 6 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
  • For the Fried Ramen Noodles
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup broken ramen noodles (about 2 ounces)
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • For the Salad
  • 1 roasted or poached chicken, shredded (about 4¼ cups)
  • ⅓ cup roughly chopped toasted almonds
  • ½ cup diced cucumber (½ English cucumber)
  • ¼ cup Kewpie mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup whole-fat Greek yogurt
  • 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion (green and white parts)
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese mustard
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
  • 1½ teaspoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon togarashi, plus more to taste
  • ¾ cup broken fried ramen noodles
Directions
  1. Make the fried ramen noodles: In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the oil. When the oil begins to ripple and reads 350° on a deep-fry thermometer, add the noodles and fry until crispy and golden brown, about 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the noodles to a paper towel-lined plate. Season with salt while still hot.
  2. Make the chicken salad: In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the fried ramen noodles. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  3. To serve: Fold half of the fried ramen noodles into the chicken salad. Top with the remaining fried ramen noodles, then sprinkle with togarashi and serve.
Nutrition
Calories per Serving 400
Total Fat 33.5 g
Saturated Fat 6.2 g
Trans Fat 0.1 g
Cholesterol 55.9 mg
Total Carbohydrates 9.1 g
Dietary Fiber 1.4 g
Total Sugars 1.2 g
Sodium 383.4 mg
Protein 16.3 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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