{"id":3539,"date":"2011-08-05T09:17:25","date_gmt":"2011-08-05T16:17:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailywaffle.com\/stage1\/?p=3539"},"modified":"2018-06-20T15:02:36","modified_gmt":"2018-06-20T22:02:36","slug":"chinese-chicken-salad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailywaffle.com\/stage1\/chinese-chicken-salad\/","title":{"rendered":"Chinese Chicken Salad Like Grandma Used to Make"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"chinese<\/p>\n

If you think of Chinese Chicken Salad as something that went mainstream in the 80s because of Wolfgang Puck and his Chinois Chicken Salad, you might be missing a chapter. Madame Wu’s Garden, an LA restaurant, may have really originated it another 20 years earlier. Now closed, the lore is that that Madame Wu’s salad originated from a conversation with Cary Grant. You have to read this story by Rose Dosti in the LA Times<\/a> written around the time of the Garden’s closing. In its heyday Madame Wu’s Garden catered to the same celeb clientele as Chasen’s.<\/p>\n

My grandma’s Chinese Chicken Salad is not far off from Madame Wu’s and originates somewhere in the same time period – mid-to-late 60s. It was iceberg, later romaine lettuce, chicken, fried saifun noodles (those are so fun to watch fry up!), toasted slivered almonds, and a sesame-rice vinegar dressing. I don’t remember the Chinese five-spice if it was in there.<\/p>\n

When I lived in LA, I loved California Chicken Cafe<\/a>‘s Chinese Chicken Salad – reliably tasty and easy to pick up on the way home from work. Their version includes mandarin oranges, a touch which MUST have its origins in the 60s.<\/p>\n

Pick up a roasted chicken at the grocery and you’ll get this on the table without turning on the oven.<\/p>\n\t\r\n\t

\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i> Print Recipe<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Chinese Chicken Salad<\/h2>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tServes: 2-3<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t

Ingredients<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t
    \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • 1 medium head romaine lettuce<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • 1\/2 medium cucumber, seeded and cut into 1\/2 in. half moons<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • 1 medium carrot, sliced thinly on a mandolin or grated<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • 2-3 green onions, green and white parts, cut on the bias<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • 2 chicken breasts w\/ ribs attached, roasted and shredded<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • 1\/2 lb. penne, cooked according to package directions in salted water<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • 1\/4 c. toasted slivered almonds<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • 1\/2 of an 11 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • Roasted sesame seeds aka goma-ae to garnish<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • Dressing<\/b><\/span><\/li>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • 3 T. seasoned rice wine vinegar<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • 1 T. canola (or vegetable) oil<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • 2 t. sesame oil<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • 1 small garlic clove, smashed<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • 1\/8 t. dry yellow mustard<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
  • salt & pepper<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t
    \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t

    Instructions<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
    \r\n\t\t\t\t1<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t
    \r\n\t\t\t\t\t

    Rinse the romaine and chop it into 1 in. pieces. Spin dry in a salad spinner. <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

    \r\n\t\t\t\t2<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t
    \r\n\t\t\t\t\t

    Toss together lettuce, cucumber, carrot, green onions, shredded chicken and cooked penne in a large bowl. <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

    \r\n\t\t\t\t3<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t
    \r\n\t\t\t\t\t

    Whisk together (or shake up in a jar) dressing ingredients. <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

    \r\n\t\t\t\t4<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t
    \r\n\t\t\t\t\t

    Add dressing and toss to coat evenly. <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

    \r\n\t\t\t\t5<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t
    \r\n\t\t\t\t\t

    Sprinkle with sesame seeds and toasted almonds. <\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

    \r\n\t\t\t\t6<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t
    \r\n\t\t\t\t\t

    If you omit the pasta, you might not need the full amount of dressing.<\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

    \r\n\t\t\t\t7<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t
    \r\n\t\t\t\t\t

    Serve chilled.<\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t

    \r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t

    Notes<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t

    Photo updated in 2018.<\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t