Cool Chicken And Noodle Salad

Keeping with my New Year’s Resolution, I tried a new recipe last week.  Ridgely was coming over for dinner and I knew she’d be up for an experiment.  Doncha love good friends that you don’t have to try to impress?  I pulled this salad from Woman’s Day and it’s a keeper:

Cool Chicken And Noodle Salad (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 8 ounce(s) angel hair or capellini pasta
• 1 tablespoon(s) toasted sesame oil (optional)
• 1/4 cup(s) fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoon(s) light brown sugar
• 1  red chili, or ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
•  Kosher salt
•  Pepper
• 1  Granny Smith apple, cut into wedges and thinly sliced
• 1/2  seedless cucumber, cut into thin half-moons
• 2  scallions, thinly sliced
• 1  (2- to 2 1/2-pound) rotisserie chicken
• 1/4 cup(s) fresh mint, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Cook the noodles according to package directions. Rinse under cold water to cool, then toss with the sesame oil (if using).
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the lime juice, brown sugar, chili (if using), 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
3. Add the apple, cucumber, and scallions to the lime juice mixture and toss to coat. Slice or shred the chicken, discarding the bones. Add to the apple-cucumber mixture and toss to combine. Add the noodles and mint and toss again.

Of course I can’t read a recipe without tweaking it slightly.  I ditched the scallions because we’ve never been friends.  I used a sprinkle of ground red pepper instead of red pepper flakes because that’s what was in the spice cabinet.  And I swapped out the expensive seedless cuke for a cheap cuke that I de-seeded (I think I just made that word up).

This was tasty and delicious!  Ridgely and I went back for seconds.  I used fresh mint that I grew all by myself.  Well, actually that’s a lie.  Mom planted that mint, but I have been watering it, so that’s got to count for something.  

New Year’s Resolution: Checkity check check check!