Szechuan Noodle Salad

I made dinner for my brother this week and he requested that I make my moms Szechuan Noodle Salad. This was a recipe that my mom made quite frequently because it was always a huge hit in our house. The recipe calls for minimal ingredients and can be made ahead of time, plus it's served cold making for perfect lunch leftovers.

The original recipe uses ramen noodles which are not exactly healthy. My mom recently made the dish with whole wheat pasta so I decided to give it a shot and I thought it turned out great. Even my brother, who commented to my mom that he hoped I didn't change it to make it healthier, loved it.

Szechuan Noodle Salad

Serves 4-6
Prep Time: 40 minutes

1/2 box of whole wheat pasta (or 2-3 pkgs ramen noodles, chicken flavor)
5 T. vegetable oil
5 T. honey
2 T. sesame oil
2 T. rice vinegar
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. grated ginger root
3 c. chicken, cut into strips
bottled teriyaki sauce
2 carrots, shredded
1 c. red cabbage, shredded
4 green onions, sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 c. dry roasted peanuts
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Marinate chicken strips in teriyaki for at least 30 minutes. Saute the chicken over medium heat in pan coated with PAM.

Cook noodles. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine oil, honey, sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Drain noodles; rinse with cold water.

In large bowl, combine noodles, chicken, and vegetables. Pour dressing over salad (start with half the dressing and add more if needed); toss to mix. Sprinkle with peanuts.