Honey & Sesame Chicken Noodle Salad

   

Honey & Sesame Chicken Noodle Salad.  This delicious cold chicken salad is one of my absolute all time favourite chicken salads! Not only is it extremely tasty, but it is also very easy to make ahead of time, and actually quite healthy. 

With this you get a cold sesame noodle salad adorned with perfectly cooked chicken, and plenty of green crunchy tender stem broccoli. It makes for a perfect make ahead family supper for those days when you are really busy and know you won't have a lot of time on your hands.

It is also an incredibly easy chicken salad to make up ahead of time and pop into the refrigerator,  ready to grab when you are heading out the door to work or to school.  Simply divide everything between four containers, chill, secure and they are ready to go.

This is also an excellent meal prep recipe. You can have this tasty salad all prepped, divided and ready to grab from the refrigerator as and when it is needed. Perfect for those of us who work from home or who are lucky enough to be able to go out and safely work in these strange times we are living in.

Who would have thunk a year ago that we would still be living under such strict rules and conditions as we were last year at this time. I, for one, think they will be with us for a long time to come.  And really people, stay safe. Don't relax things just because you have been vaccinated.  You need to still be doing the things you should have been doing all along.

Wearing masks, practicing safe distancing, hand sanitising, etc.  It will be a very long time before I am ever comfortable not doing those things. When the Government tells me I am safe, then I am safe. Until then, I will proceed with caution.

  

One thing which I really love about this quick and easy salad is that it uses simple every day ingredients.  Wih the exception of the sesame seeds, these are probably ingredients you will already have in your kitchen.

You will need some kind of noodle. You can use soba noodles if you have them or another kind of oriental noodle, but I always use spaghetti noodles. They work very well in this and I always, always have them in the cupboard.  I use the wholewheat ones nowadays to get in some healthy extra fibre. 

Other than that you will need some lemon, spring onions, broccoli, boneless skinless chicken breasts, a few basic seasonings, soy sauce, lemon juice, sesame oil (not the toasted one), and of course the sesame seeds.  

The Chinese Five spice might also be something you don't have but you can very easily make your own. To do that you will need 6 star anise pods, 1 1/2 tsp whole cloves, 2 TBS ground cinnamon, 2 TBS fennel seeds, and 3 tsp peppercorns. (You can also use a 3 inch piece of cinnamon stick instead of the ground cinnamon.)  Pop it all into a spice grinder and grind it to a powder. You can store this in an airtight container, in a dark place, for up to six months. Easy peasy.

  

Cooking the chicken is really easy.  You just rub it all over with the chinese five spice powder, some garlic powder and seasoning and then grill it in a hot skillet over moderate heat until it is golden brown on both sides. It doesn't take very long, about 4 minutes per side depending on how thick your meat is.

Once you have done that you squeeze some lemon juice over top, cover it tightly and then pop it aside to rest. This helps the juices get reabsorbed into the chicken as well as the lemon juice, which makes for a flavour-filled moist result.

I hate dry chicken, don't you?  This method helps to prevent that from happening.

 

This easy salad boasts a sensational dressing which is composed of delightful Oriental flavours. 

 

Salty dark soy sauce is simply whisked together with sweet natural honey, garlic powder, salt, pepper, some hot chili flakes/crushed pepper flakes (for a bit of a bite), and more fresh lemon juice.

 

  

This makes for a scrumptiously flavoured dressing that you then pour over freshly cooked al dente pasta noodles. I love the combination of honey and soy.  

They make for perfect taste partners!

 

This dressing combined with the noodles, plus the chopped spring onion and sesame seed is what makes up the bulk of the salad. 

  

I could eat this just on its own without anything else added.  Its so, so, SO tasty!  I am a nut for noodles!  Of any kind.

Carboholic is my middle name.  Sad but true.

 Just look at how pretty that is. All put together in a nice lunch box. Laid out beautifully. 

 That tender stem broccoli on the side, extra drssing waiting in a tightly closed container to drizzle over everything.

 

You are sure to love this delicious salad.  It is cold, crunchy and incredibly refreshing.

Its also filled with healthy carbs, (if you use whole wheat noodles), is low in fat and high in fibre and is a great source of healthy protein!

 

Prepare yourself to fall in love.  Fresh, simple to make, filled with lovely flavours and textures. Healthy and delicious.

What more could you ask for?

 

Honey & Sesame Chicken Noodle Salad

Yield: 4

Author: Marie Rayner

prep time: 10 Mincook time: 25 Mintotal time: 35 Min

This delicious Oriental Chicken Salad boasts a fabulous soy, sesame & honey dressing, tossed with plenty of noodles and crispy tender-stem broccoli. Quick and easy to make as well as being very healthy!

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets – trimmed
• 1 tbsp sesame oil (not toasted)
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• Garlic powder to taste
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Chinese five spice powder to taste
• The juice of ½ lemon

For the noodles:

• 1 pound of uncooked thinnish noodles (or spaghetti, etc.)
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp liquid honey
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• Fine sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 4 spring onions/ scallions, trimmed, washed and finely chopped

To finish:

• 1 bunch tender stem broccoli trimmed and blanched
• 1 tbsp chopped spring onion to garnish
• 1 tsp sesame seed to garnish

Instructions

1. First do the noodles. Cook the noodles you have chosen according to the package directions in a large pot of boiling lightly salted water until just al dente. Drain well, rinse and then drain again.
2. Place into a large bowl along with the chopped spring onion and sesame seeds.
3. Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients to combine well. Pour 3/4 of this mixture over the noodles and vegetables, tossing all together to combine well. Set the noodles aside and reserve the remaining dressing for later.
4. To cook the chicken, trim your chicken breasts and then season them all over with the garlic powder, salt, pepper and five spice powder, rubbing them well into the surface of the meat.
5. Heat a large non-stick skillet and add the oil.  When it is hot add the chicken breasts, top side (presentation side) down.  Cook over medium heat until golden brown and then carefully flip them over, browning the other side.
6. You will need to cook them for about 4 minutes per side, until cooked through and the juices run clear. Squeeze the lemon juice over top.
7. Cover, remove from the heat and set aside for 5 to 10  minutes.
8. Remove from the pan and cut into diagnoal strips.
9. To blanche the broccoli, bring a pot of lightly salted water to the boil Add the broccoli and cook for 2 to 3 minutes maximum. Remove from the heat and plunge into cold or iced water.  Drain well. cut into bite sized pieces on the diagonal.
10. Divide the dressed noodles between each of four chilled plates.  Add a portion of blanched broccoli to each along with one of the sliced chicken breasts.
11. Drizzle the remaining dressing over top and sprinkle with additional spring onions and sesame seed.  Serve.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it #EnglishKitchen

Created using The Recipes Generator

 

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com. 

Follow my blog with Bloglovin