This vegan mandarin chicken ramen noodle salad is light and refreshing with crisp, fresh lettuce and carrot, sweet mandarins, tender, savory vegan chicken, and crunchy ramen. An impressive crunchy salad for potlucks, parties, and summer BBQs under 30 minutes!
Bake the vegan chicken tenders based on the package directions. When they’re finished, thinly slice them lengthwise and set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together all the dressing ingredients and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, cilantro, carrot, green onion, and mandarin oranges (if using).
Crunch the unopened instant ramen packet. Make sure it’s broken into small pieces. Remove the seasoning packet and pour half of the crunchy broken-up noodles into the salad bowl.
Toss the salad and serve it in individual bowls with dressing and chopped vegan chicken tenders.
Notes
Allow the flavors to meld: I recommend 30 minutes before serving. However, only add the ramen noodles just before serving.
Adjust the dressing to taste: You can tweak each ingredient amount to fit your taste preferences.
For super crispy noodles: Break them up and then fry them in hot oil. Be careful when lowering them into the oil, as they will puff up immediately.