Asian Chicken Salad

Our youngest, who is 5, adores green food. Broccoli, green beans, lettuce, pears, and grapes are some of her favorites. However, this obsession can cause trouble at the dinner table. When she has finished her portion, she may, when you are not looking, sneak her hand over to your plate and take a fistful of your food. I often make up a salad early in the day to serve for dinner, only to find that much of it is gone when I get ready to put the dressing on it. A certain someone will covertly grab handfuls and eat them when I am not paying attention.

As a result, our little one is always pleased when we are having a main dish salad for dinner, which is about once a week. This Asian Chicken Salad is a great recipe to utilize leftover chicken (or maybe even some of that leftover Holiday turkey). However, if we do not have any leftover chicken on hand, I will put some in the slow cooker at the beginning of the day along with 1/3 cup of the dressing below. Sometimes we will substitute the sliced almonds for a package of dry, crushed ramen noodles which is not as healthy, but sure is yummy!

Asian Chicken Salad

1 bunch green leaf lettuce

1 bunch green onions

2 cups cooked and diced chicken

1-11oz. can mandarin oranges, drained.

½ cup sliced almonds

Salt and pepper to taste

Wash, dry, and chop lettuce and green onions. Add to a large salad bowl along with chicken, mandarin oranges, and almonds. Season with salt and pepper.

Asian Dressing

6 tbsp. rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

3 tbsp. soy sauce

¾ cup olive oil

2 tsp. raw sugar

¼ tsp ground ginger

1 clove garlic, chopped (optional)

Whisk together all ingredients for dressing, pour over salad, and toss to coat. (Depending on how big your bunch of lettuce is, you may not need all of the dressing.)