Is this weird? Ramen noodles in a salad? I wondered if it was, but I blocked all those thoughts out of my head and made this salad anyway. Sure, it might be a little weird, but it’s also beyond good, and the perfect way to enjoy ramen noodles during the warmer months of the year. And let’s be real, it’s kind of fun putting noodles in your salad, especially ramen. I’m not really sure how this idea came to be exactly. But after a lot of brainstorming I kind of just threw it together. And you know what? It worked, I loved it, and all was good. It’s a cross between salad, peanut noodles, and ramen…minus the broth of course. It’s extra saucy, a touch spicy, so full of crunchy vegetables. Really every bite is darn good. In my recent favorite’s post I asked you all what summer recipes you’d like to see me share. There was an overwhelming request for potluck style recipes. AKA recipes that you can make ahead of time and bring to your friend’s parties. When I think potluck, my mind goes to cheesy potato casserole, mac and cheese, pasta salad, and mom’s Special K-Bars. Yes, I am clearly a child of the midwest, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Cheesy potatoes forever and ever…and ever. My other memories of summertime potluck recipes? Peanut noodle salad…the one my Aunt Katie used to make. It was a crazy combo and I can’t really remember all of the ingredients. While this Ramen noodle salad isn’t exactly like my Aunt Katie’s, it reminds me of hers. This also reminds me that I need to get Aunt Katie’s recipe from my cousins and share it with you all. Because you can never have too many peanut noodle salad recipes, right? For sure. So Marge? Abigail? Leave the recipe in the comments, please. Alright, and moving along. This salad is pretty simple. Grab all your veggies and toss them into a bowl. Add a diced mango, shredded chicken, and cooked brown rice ramen noodles, this is my favorite brand. The taste is just like Top Ramen, but minus all the bad for you ingredients. I’m very into the Lotus brand and always keep them stocked. Always. Now, the sauce. This is my go-to peanut sauce. It’s extra peanutty, spicy, and sweetened ever so lightly with honey. It’s ADDICTIVE. If you have any leftover it will be gone in .3 seconds. It’s delicious on everything from pasta, to grilled chicken, to vegetables, to toast…it’s even good on a spoon. You shouldn’t have any leftovers, but if you want to be forward thinking, double the sauce recipe and use throughout the week. Now add the sauce to the salad and toss, and that’s kind of it. This is one of those, dump it all in, toss and enjoy salads. I could not love it more. Also, if you’re vegetarian/vegan, just omit the chicken and you’ll automatically have a vegan salad. If you’re making this ahead of time, just keep the salad and peanut sauce separate until you’re ready to serve. This will ensure you get a nice crunchy salad that’s heavy on the sauce and not soggy. When it comes to salads, this is the least boring of them all. I strongly encourage you to make it, and soon. It will take you less than 30 minutes, and it’s healthy! Major bonuses for a Thursday…that I really just want/need to be Friday. Because this “short” week is feeling like the longest week ever! If you make this Thai peanut chicken ramen noodle salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
