Chinese Chicken Salad

I received this deliciously different recipe from Lisa Costello (Grandpa Miscovey’s great-niece) when we lived in California. It takes some work, but expect to lick the bowl when the crowd is done devouring it!

ingredients

Salad:
One 2-3 lb frying chicken
1 package rice sticks
1 head lettuce, chopped
6-8 green onions, chopped
1 pkg sliced almonds
Dressing:
8 TBSP sugar
4 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
4 tsp MSG
2/3 cup oil
2 tsp sesame oil
8 TBSP toasted sesame seed
12 TBSP rice vinegar

directions

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1. If you do not buy sesame seeds already toasted, pour evenly onto a cookie sheet. Bake in 350 degree oven. Stir every 1-2 minutes until lightly toasted. Watch carefully and remove from pan immediately or they will continue to darken and burn.
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2. Use the steps above to toast the sliced almonds.
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3. Cut up chicken into pieces. Boil in a large pot with a bay leaf or two; cool slightly, and then cut into cubes.
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4. Pour 1/2” oil into large frying pan. Break rice sticks into 3-4” pieces, place small amount into very hot oil. (It will puff up quickly!) Use 2 slotted spoons or spatulas to turn and cook both sides – remove and place on paper towels to drain. Continue until you have fried all of the rice sticks. * * A two-person team concept works best with this. One places the rice sticks in the grease while the other flips and removes. I line a large cookie sheet with several layers of paper towels and it ends up piled about a foot high!
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5. Chop lettuce into narrow strips and slice the green onions thinly. Put into a very large bowl; add the almonds and chopped chicken.
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5. Mix dressing ingredients together and stir or shake well. Just prior to eating, add the rice sticks to the salad and pour on the dressing; toss and enjoy!

notes

You can cook the chicken, make the dressing, and fry the rice sticks the day prior. Simply put the rice sticks in a brown grocery bag and roll down the top to seal.

Source: Trish Mann