Ingredients:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 6 cups shredded Napa cabbage
- 2 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 1/2 cup ramen noodles or chow mein noodles, crushed
- 1/2 cup mandarin orange segments, drained
- 1/3 cup neutral oil
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Instructions:
- Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
- Season sliced chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then sear until golden and cooked through (about 5–7 minutes). Note: Don't crowd the pan or the chicken will steam instead of brown.
- Remove chicken from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing into bite-sized strips. Note: Resting prevents the meat from becoming dry.
- In a small bowl or jar, combine rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, grated ginger, and minced garlic.
- Slowly whisk in 1/3 cup neutral oil until the dressing is smooth and velvety. Note: Adding oil slowly ensures the dressing doesn't separate.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss together the Napa cabbage, red cabbage, shredded carrots, and sliced green onions.
- Pour the ginger sesame dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss until evenly coated.
- Gently fold in the cooked chicken and mandarin orange segments.
- Immediately before serving, fold in the toasted almonds and crushed ramen noodles. Note: This is the critical step to maintain the shatter crisp texture.