Asian Chicken Salad

In the summer, I try to avoid using the oven as much as possible. We grill a LOT, but otherwise, it is always nice to have a heat-free dinner. This meal can either be done in the crockpot (which sometimes adds too much warmth to the house) or on the stove. On the stove, it takes only 10 minutes, which I can tolerate in the heat.

I love the crunch, the sweet, the tang, the different textures. And it's really pretty too! My little girls devoured it and my 5 year old asked for it for leftovers for 3 days. Can't beat that!

ASIAN CHICKEN SALAD--STOVE TOP

• 2 lbs. chicken breasts, cubed
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 Tbs white sugar
• 1/4 head red cabbage, slivered
• 1/4 head white cabbage, slivered
• 1 head green leaf lettuce, torn
• Slivered almonds, toasted
• Chinese Noodles
• Canned mandarin oranges (drained)
• Carrots, diced
  

Dressing

• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup vinegar (apple cider, white, or rice)
• 1/4 cup oil

In a medium skillet, cook chicken, 1/4 cup soy sauce, and 3 Tbs sugar over medium low heat until chicken is cooked thru. Remove from heat, drain and set aside (or chill). Make dressing and chill. Meanwhile, on a large platter, layer salad ingredients in the following order: lettuce, white cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, chicken, mandarin oranges, chinese noodles, and almonds. Serve with dressing.

CROCK POT DIRECTIONS

Follow the above recipe, but cook the chicken for 5-7 hours on low in a CrockPot in 1 cup soy sauce and 1 cup sugar.