Chilled Chicken Noodle Salad (Printable)

Tender chicken, crisp vegetables, and bold sesame dressing combine for a fresh, flavorful cold pasta dish.

# What You Need:

→ Noodles & Protein

01 - 9 oz thin egg noodles or rice noodles
02 - 2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded (10 oz)

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
04 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 1 cucumber, deseeded and julienned
06 - 2 spring onions, sliced
07 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Sesame Dressing

08 - 3 tbsp toasted sesame oil
09 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
10 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar
11 - 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
12 - 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter or tahini
13 - 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
14 - 1 garlic clove, minced
15 - 1 tsp chili flakes (optional)

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
17 - Lime wedges (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Cook noodles according to package directions, then drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, mix shredded chicken, cooked noodles, carrot, bell pepper, cucumber, spring onions, and cilantro until evenly distributed.
03 - Whisk together toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, peanut butter, grated ginger, minced garlic, and chili flakes until smooth.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently until all ingredients are uniformly coated.
05 - Transfer to serving dishes and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Add lime wedges if desired. Serve immediately or chill up to 2 hours prior to serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, but tastes like you've spent the afternoon cooking.
  • The sesame dressing is so good you'll want to drizzle it on everything in your fridge.
  • It actually gets better as it sits, making it perfect for meal prep or bringing to gatherings.
02 -
  • Rinse the cooked noodles thoroughly under cold water—this stops them from cooking further and keeps them from turning into a clumpy paste.
  • Don't dress the salad more than a couple of hours before eating it, or the noodles will absorb all the dressing and lose their texture.
  • Taste the dressing before you add it to everything; if you like things spicier or more tart, now's the time to adjust.
03 -
  • Buy pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from your grocery store and shred it yourself—it saves time and the results are just as good as cooking it from scratch.
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for a minute or two if you have time; it brings out a nuttiness that makes the whole dish taste more intentional.
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the dressing in a separate container and toss it with the salad just before serving to keep everything from getting soggy.
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