I’ve given a simple-yet-satisfying glow-up to a beloved potluck dish today with this Ramen Noodle Salad Recipe with Chicken. This is a great way to lean on the ease and efficiency of a store-bought rotisserie chicken (total MKL hack), and we’ll use the juicy meat in the salad, as well as the salty skin, which we’ll crisp up and serve on top (I know, right?!). I love the color of red cabbage, but green works just as well and so does a combo of both. Read on for a few tips or, as always, just jump ahead to the recipe itself.

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What is Ramen Noodle Salad?

A very simple salad made with crunchy crushed ramen noodles, sliced almonds, and cabbage. A Ramen Noodle Salad is this super delicious dish that was popular in the nineties (at least in my house) and still shows up a lot at pot lucks. It’s got this unpretentious church cookbook vibe that I really like. Also, cabbage is so great for potlucks that way – it travels really well. It can stand up to being dressed for much longer than lettuces, which would get soggy really fast on you.

A sweet vinaigrette made with basic salad oil, granulated sugar, and some vinegar coats everything and really does create this addictively tasty thing. This salad is one of those things that is weirdly good. It’s better than it ought to be, honestly.

An Updated Classic

My version here colors outside of the lines to a large extent. I wanted to level-up the classic version of this salad and it’s become one of my favorite things to make. I use red cabbage, instead of green, or a lovely combination of the two. I also add shredded carrots and a tasty rotisserie chicken for some protein. Also, I like to be a little extra bout things and crisp up the chicken skin in my oven and serve that on top.

Insanely good! A little spice from pickled jalapeno and some sweetness from fresh mandarins or clementines makes it all so, so delicious.

What you’ll need to make this Asian Ramen Noodle Salad

This is my modern version of a sort of old school pot luck type dish. Classically, this salad is made with shredded green cabbage and scallions and the ramen/nut mixture. It all gets tossed in a sweet vinaigrette and that’s it.

So, in my version I’ve opted for pretty red cabbage and I’ve thrown some carrots in the mix as well. Also, cilantro! Because it makes everything better to me, but you can leave it out if you can’t stand it. Also, the oranges, crispy, salty chicken skin and the pickled jalapeños make this is a salad that I”m frankly obsessed with.

INGREDIENTS

For the salad

2 tablespoons butter

2 packages of ramen noodles (flavor packets discarded)

½ cup sliced almonds

1 tablespoon sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

½ red or green cabbage, finely shredded (see note)

1.5 to 2 cups shredded carrots

1 bunch green onions, chopped or sliced into long pieces/strips

1 cup cilantro, tender stems and leaves, chopped (amount is approximate)

1 rotisserie chicken

2 fresh clementines, tangerines, or mandarin oranges broken into segments

For the dressing

½ cup neutral salad oil, such as canola or vegetable

Scant ¼ cup rice wine vinegar (apple cider vin or white wine vin also work)

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Lots of freshly cracked black pepper

Serving suggestions: Pickled jalapeños

How to make this Asian Salad with Ramen Noodles

You certainly don’t have to crisp up the chicken skin and serve that on top of this Asian Ramen Noodle Salad, but wow is that a nice touch. It gives sort of a fried chicken vibe, without having to actually fry anything so, that’s awesome.

Anyway, we’ll toast up the crushed ramen noodles and sliced almonds in some butter which is a totally necessary move. It takes these crunchy things and makes them snack-ably addictive, far better than they’d be if we didn’t toast them.

The salad itself is super simple, as it’s just shredded cabbage (either red or green, or both!), shredded carrots, lots of punchy green onions, and some cilantro (if you don’t hate it). Segments of juice oranges seal the deal.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Adjust the rack to the top position.
Pull the chicken skin away from the meat, and place it on a sheet pan. Season lightly with salt and pepper and bake until deeply browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, pull the meat off the bone, and shred, slice or chop it as you like. Set aside for now.
Using your fist, a rolling pin or whatever implement you like, break/bust up the ramen into pieces/chunks. Put the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and when it’s melted, add the crushed ramen noodles. Toast/brown them until fragrant and golden, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the almonds and sesame seeds during the last couple minutes to toast. Set aside.
Combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl, blender or jar and mix/shake until blended.
In a big mixing bowl, combine the cabbage, shredded carrots, green onions, and as much cilantro as you like. Toss with enough dressing to really coat everything (as much as you like, leaving some extra on the side if desired). Pile the salad on a big platter and top with chicken, crispy chicken skin and orange segments. Shower with the buttery, toasted ramen and almonds/sesame seeds. Top with some pickled jalapeno slices, if you like. Enjoy with extra dressing and soy sauce on the side, as desired.

Can Ramen Noodle Salad be Made in Advance?

The short answer is yes.

You can make this salad up to a couple/few hours in advance, but just don’t add the toasted ramen and almond mixture until serving. That part will get soft on you once it meets the dressing. So, if you want to transport the salad to say, a potluck or party, just package that part separately and top just before everyone digs in.

Also, I’d probably skip the chicken skin if I was taking this Asian Ramen Noodle Salad somewhere else. Just saying.