If you’re a Chinese chicken salad lover, you’ll surely become a fan of this unconventional one. Crunchy vegetables, tender chicken all tossed in a tangy, homemade Shanghai vinaigrette. It’s such a refreshing main course salad. I knew I was onto something when my friends asked for seconds. Seconds on a salad? You can enjoy every skinny bite at 329 calories, 10 grams of fat (including the dressing) and 8 Weight Watchers POINTS PLUS. This salad can be prepared earlier in the day and dressed before serving.
Prep Time: 20 minutes, including the dressing
Ingredients
1 recipe for Shanghai Vinaigrette, see below
3 cups (12 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked
1 head (8 cups) Napa cabbage, sliced into strips
1 cup red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 cup scallions (green onion), thinly sliced
1 cup La Choy rice noodles or chow mein noodles
1½ tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
Instructions
1. Prepare the Shanghai Vinaigrette and refrigerate.
2. Cut cooked chicken breasts into bite-size pieces. Transfer chicken to an extra large bowl. Add cabbage, red pepper, carrots and scallions. Refrigerate.
4. When ready to serve, toss with enough dressing to coat, about ½ cup. Serve in small Chinese cartons with chopsticks or on plates. Sprinkle top of each salad with some rice noodles.
Serves 4
Shanghai Vinaigrette
I created this dark, rich and creamy, with a bit of a bite, Asian style vinaigrette to serve with this recipe. It taste delish on any Chinese salad. Great news… This dressings contains only 81 calories and 5 grams of fat for 2 tablespoons. It’s high fat counter-part has twice the calories, 164 and over three times the fat, 14 grams for the same two tablespoons.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
½ cup Nancy’s Skinny Ranch Dressing
⅓ cup hoisin sauce
¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon chopped or crushed ginger (in a jar)
1 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
½ teaspoon dry mustard
Instructions
1. In a medium bowl add all ingredients and whisk together.
2. Pour into an airtight container and store in the fridge.
3. Shanghai Vinaigrette will keep for up to 1 week in fridge.
Makes 1¼ cups
Food Facts
Napa cabbage is also called Chinese white cabbage. It’s related to the beet family, growing to a height of two feet.
Hoisin, also called Peking sauce, is a thick reddish-brown sauce that’s both sweet and spicy. It’s a mixture of soybeans, garlic, chili peppers, and various spices.
Healthy Benefits
Napa cabbage has virtually no calories or fat. It contains a good supply of calcium, fiber, iron, vitamin A, folate,
Chicken breasts are a good source of lean protein and B vitamins.
Shopping Tips
La Choy rice noodles are available in a can. There are several brands of crispy chow mein noodles available. Both can be found in the Asian section of the supermarket.
Hoisin sauce, reduced-sodium soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil can all be found in the Asian section of your supermarket. For time and convenience, I like ginger, in a jar. I always keep a jar in the refrigerator and add it to many Asian dishes. You can find it in the produce department near, garlic in a jar.
Weight Watchers (old points) 7
Weight Watchers POINTS PLUS 9
| SKINNY FACTS: for 1 serving including dressing 329 calories, 10g fat, 26g protein, 37g carbs, 2g fiber, 773mg sodium, 8g sugar |
| FAT FACTS: for 1 serving including dressing 587 calories, 31g fat, 38g protein,39g carbs, 3g fiber, 780mg sodium, 5g sugar |
