Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad

The Oriental salad additionally happened to be what the 2 alternative older, clearly cooler teenagers I might spot from my high viewpoint were uptake. They appeared hip and funky. I wished to be hip and funky. Oriental salad it'd be. I ordered my chicken tender and my dressing on the aspect. further firm noodles please.

If you’ve ne'er had the Applebee’s Oriental salad, you must grasp that it’s delicious. I went on to order it repeatedly through highschool, and years later, it’s still flagged as a client favorite on the Applebee’s menu. It contains all the essential elements that create a dish satisfying: crisp greens, filling macromolecule, almonds and dish noodles for crunch, and a sweet, creamy dressing to tie it all at once.

As a young adult, I gave very little thought to the organic process quality of my meals, and it ne'er would have occurred to American state that any dish with the word “salad” in its title may not be healthy. As associate degree adult, I’ve learned that, sadly, salads area unit typically one among the smallest amount healthy things on a restaurant’s menu. whereas scripting this post, I became morbidly interested by the Applebee’s Oriental salad calorie count and had to require a peek. i used to be afraid. relying upon your diet, it can be nearly a day’s price of calories.

I usually attempt to avoid enumeration calories, particularly after I depart to eat, however I do believe it's affordable to expect my salads to be nutritive. I additionally expect them to be scrumptious, filling, and supply an honest form of ingredients, flavors, and textures. Have I set the bar too high? fully not! Case in point: today’s home-baked version of Applebee’s Oriental salad. It’s even as deliciously habit-forming as Applebee’s version, however it's truly smart for you and affordable within the calorie department too.

In place of the cooked chicken strips Applebee’s puts on its Oriental salad, I swapped these tender Asian Chicken Tenders. they provide an equivalent juicy-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside sensation however area unit kitchen appliance baked rather than deep-fried. I unbroken the dish noodles and cooked almonds (gotta have that crunch!) and stratified  in further contemporary veggies. Finally, I created my very own home-baked oriental dressing, that uses Greek dairy product in situ of the dressing within the Applebee’s version.

Ingredients

FOR THE SALAD:

•  5 cups chopped romaine lettuce — about 1 head
•  1 1/2 cups shredded red cabbage
•  1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
•  8 Crispy Asian Chicken Tenders
•  1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds
•  1/3 cup chow mein noodles
•  2 green onions — chopped

FOR THE DRESSING:

•  1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
•  2 tablespoons honey
•  1 tablespoon rice vinegar
•  2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
•  1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
•  1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
•  1-2 tablespoons nonfat milk — if necessary

Instructions

1. Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl or large measuring cup, combine the Greek yogurt, honey, vinegar, mustard, sesame oil, and salt. Taste and add more salt as desired. If the dressing is too thick for your liking, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, until the desired consistency is reached.
2. In a large mixing bowl, toss the romaine, red cabbage, and carrots. Arrange the chicken tenders on top. Drizzle with the dressing. Sprinkle with the chow mein noodles, almonds, and green onion. Enjoy immediately.

Recipe From : Well Plated