Chilled Chicken Ramen

Heat a pot of salted water for the ramen noodles, following cooking instructions on the packaging. Save the seasoning packet in the ramen for a different recipe or discard.

Slice chicken breast/breasts lengthwise, pat dry with a paper towel. Season chicken with salt and pepper. The chicken breast I used was 1 pound. Cut cucumbers into 1/2-inch coin size rounds. Trim ends of the green beans and cut in half. Slice the white portions of the green onions into 1-inch pieces on a slant. We won't be using the dark green portions of the onions in this recipe. Peel and grate 1/2 of a carrot. Cut tomato into wedges.

Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and chicken breasts. Cook the chicken approximately 5 minutes each side allowing them to brown. After 10 minutes of browning, add 1 cup of chicken broth to the pan, finish cooking the chicken in the broth. Internal temperature should be 165 degrees F. when fully cooked. Allow chicken to cool then shred.

While chicken cooks make the sauce/marinade. In a medium bowl combine 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 1/2 cup of lite soy sauce and 1/2 cup of rice vinegar. Furikake is a Japanese seasoning that typically consists of dried seaweed, toasted sesame seeds, and dried fish. It is often used as a condiment, sprinkled over rice, fish, eggs, and noodle dishes to enhance flavor. Szechuan pepper adds a spicy kick to the dish. Both the Furikake and Szechuan pepper will be sprinkled over the dish at the end of the recipe.

In a small bowl add 2 tablespoons of the sauce to the sliced cucumbers. Marinate the cucumbers until ready to serve.

In a medium bowl add ice and cold water. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans to the water for 5 minutes. Drain green beans and toss them in the ice water bath stopping the cooking process. Set green beans aside once they are chilled.

Drain the ramen noodles and run cold water over them until chilled. Drain again. Add the noodles to a serving bowl and dress with sauce, tossing them until coated with the desired amount of sauce. Toss chicken in sauce coating it also. Arrange the grated carrots on top of the ramen noodles with the tomato wedges, green beans and shredded chicken. Add sliced white portions of the green onions. Sprinkle with Furikake and Szechuan pepper.

Serve and enjoy!