Ramen noodle oriental chicken salad is a favorite dinner salad recipe of mine. I like that it is not a bland salad. It has a lot of those great Asian flavors. We even give you the perfect dressing for this chicken salad recipe. You can make this potluck recipe in no time, and it will not disappoint!
I love bringing this salad with me to many of the summer get-togethers since it is so easy to make and super delicious. Make sure to try it out for your next party or family gathering, the kids even love it since it has the fun ramen noodles in it!
This ramen noodle salad recipe is proof that healthy and delicious can go hand in hand. It’s a vibrant and flavorful twist on the classic version. It’s packed with protein, fresh veggies, and a tangy Asian-inspired dressing that will tantalize your taste buds.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
To make our ramen noodle chicken salad, you need the following ingredients:
- Vegetable oil
- Seasoned rice vinegar (You can get it HERE or at any local grocery store)
- Sugar
- Salt
- Pepper
- Boneless skinnless chicken breast (cooked and shredded)
- Cabbage (chopped)
- Green onions (finely chopped)
- Sunflower seeds
- Slivered almonds
- Top Ramen noodles (crushed into small pieces)
Equipment Needed
For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:
How To Make Our Ramen Noodle Oriental Chicken Salad
- To start making this amazing salad, grab a small mixing bowl and pour in the vegetable oil, rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.
- Whisk everything together until it is well combined.
- Then, cover the mixing bowl with saran wrap or press and seal wrap, and place it in the fridge until you are ready to serve the oriental salad.
- Now, in a large mixing bowl, combine together the shredded chicken, chopped cabbage, and the sunflower seed. Once that is done, set it aside for a few minutes.
- Next, in a medium size pan heat the vegetable oil over medium heat.
- When the oil is hot, add in the Top Ramen noodles without the flavoring packet, and cook the noodles until they are slightly brown.
- Then, add in the packet of slivered almonds to the cooked ramen noodles and continue stiring everything together until the almonds become golden brown.
- Remove the noodles and almonds from heat and let it cool down.
- Once the noodle mixture is cooled down, add it to the chicken and cabbage minxute, stirring everything together until they are well combined.
- Then, when you are ready to serve the salad, toss the chicken salad together with the dressing in the fridge and serve it immediately. TIP: Dress the salad last minute to avoid the salad from getting soggy.
Recipe Notes
This great recipe is also incredibly versatile. Feel free to experiment with different vegetables and proteins. You can even swap the ramen noodles for another crunchy topping like rice noodles. The possibilities are endless! But wait, there’s more! This recipe is not only delicious and easy, but it’s also a strong contender for the title of best salad ever. If it’s your first time making cold salads, this recipe is a fantastic starting point. A lot of people have found it super easy to follow.
While this recipe is generally pretty healthy, the ramen noodles are not the healthiest noodle option, but are super tasty! 😉 If you’d like to switch out the ramen noodles for something else, Mashed has a great list of healthy alternatives to ramen noodles that you can check out.
Storage Suggestions
This salad holds up beautifully in the fridge; all the more reason to include it in your meal prep plans. It’s a great option for grab-and-go lunches or quick weekday meals too. Prepare a big batch, stash it in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Enjoy More Delicious Pasta Recipes
Want to add more veggies to your meals? Browse our comprehensive list of salad recipes.
- Grilled Chicken Bow Tie Pasta Salad
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- Ranch Pasta Salad
- Southwest Chicken Pasta Salad
- Spaghetti Salad
- Tortellini Pasta Salad
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Ramen Noodle Oriental Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Dressing
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 4½ Tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 4½ Tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Salad
- 2-3 cups boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (cooked and shredded)
- 1 head cabbage, chopped
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2½ ounces slivered almonds
- 2 packages Top Ramen noodles, crushed into small pieces)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together vegetable oil, rice vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Cover and store in fridge until before serving.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked chicken, cabbage and sunflower seeds; set aside. In a pan over medium heat, warm up vegetable oil. Add Top Ramen noodles (without flavor packets) and cook until slightly brown. Add slivered almonds to the ramen and continue stirring over heat until golden brown. Once cool, add ramen mixture to the chicken/cabbage mixture and stir to combine.
- Add dressing that you set aside and toss to coat before serving to avoid the noodles getting soggy.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
I can’t believe I’ve never made a oriental salad yet. My family would devour this in a flash. Pinning!
Try adding 1 of the season packets and 1 tsp. of soy sauce to the dressing, it will add another level of taste
Nice ramen salad. Thanks so much. Have a Great Week!
I had this so many summers ago when I was still single and FELL. IN. LOVE. And then I got married. And then I had kids. And could I find the recipe? NOOOOO! So thank you for posting this. It’s one of my all time favorite summer salads and something even my kids will enjoy!!!
We’ve made this for years and love it. Only real difference is we also add shredded carrots. Even the kids love it!
I’m a senior and sometimes have trouble standing for long periods of time. The last time I made a recipe that called for chopped cabbage, I bought a bag of slaw mix and chopped that. Much faster and easier for an old lady! Teehee!
I made this for our company Halloween potluck and everyone loved it! Thank you.
I’ve made a similar recipe (Fumi Salad) for years! Use 1 package of Oriental Ramen and mix it with the flavoring packet. Delicious.
I make this salad with Napa cabbage. I toast Chicken flavored ramen noodles and almonds in a skillet with melted butter and the included packet of chicken flavoring. This is sooo yummy. It always gets eaten when I take it to picnics
Huge disappointment not very flavorful and threw more than half of it out! I will have to keep looking for the one I love.
What would you serve with this?
Here are a few ideas you could serve with this oriental chicken salad:
Parmesan Knots – https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/10/easy-parmesan-knots-recipe.html
Grape Salad – https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2014/12/grape-salad-recipe.html
Fresh veggies and Dill Dip – https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/03/vegetable-dill-dip.html
I want to make this for a crowd of people. How many servings is it?
It will feed about 6-8 people. It just depends on how big of servings they take.
My all time favorite salad recipe!
One recipe said to slightly cook my noodles then drain ? & add celery.. Any suggestions? Also do i just dump my seasoning into the skillit w/ the noodles & veg. oil. Or add to the whole mix?
We didn’t use the Ramen seasoning that comes with the noodles.
I made this yesterday and was disappointed in the dressing. It was very bland and I had even added one the seasoning packets, as suggested by others.
I will search for another dressing with more flavor.
How many calories?
You could add a teaspoon or two of toasted sesame oil.
Quick question — the recipe says to use slivered almonds, but the pictures show sliced almonds. Should it be one or the other, or will both work?
Either one will work great. Sometimes we just use whatever we have on hand.
I love this recipe! Has anyone tried adding mandarin oranges or … pineapple? I feel like I want a burst of flavor. Maybe crunchy chow mein noodles?
You have to add the season packet from the ramen and a few drops of sesame seed oil to the dressing. I’ve been making this for years and can’t imagine how it would taste without those ingredients!!
The only thing I would do different when making this recipe is to pour the dressing on after adding the cabbage and then just before serving add the toasted ramen noodles and toss then serve.
I have been eating this for years. Its a classic in our house
Where are the measurements for each ingredient?!
If you scroll to the bottom of the post you can see the recipe care which lists all the ingredients and measurements
The recipe mentions toasting the dry noodles & almonds without the seasoning packets. Please stir in both seasoning packets to the pan after the noodles and almonds have browned. You will not be disappointed! You need the salt to add to the other ingredients and balance the sweetness of the dressing. You can use any flavor Top Ramen, really. I also use the chopped cabbage in a bag to save time.