Japanese Chicken Salad

This recipe was a family favorite when I was growing up. We all went nuts over it every time my mother made it for us. Where it differs from other "Japanese chicken salad" recipes is that it doesn't use Ramen noodles, but rather, the secret is in the hot oil 'puffed' oriental angel hair-size, dry cellophane noodles available in any oriental foods section of any grocery store (either called 'cellophane noodles' or alternatively called 'bean threads' or 'rice thread noodles'--either one will work').

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 8 portions

Ingredients

• 2  whole chicken breasts (skinned, boned, cut in strips after being browned in butter or margarine)
•  iceberg lettuce (one whole medium sized head, shredded or rough chopped)
•  cellophane noodle (chinese style ( 1 coil of uncooked cellophane noodles (they come with two or three 'coils' to a pac)
• 2  tablespoons sesame seeds (toasted in a little canola oil)
•  scallion (green onions(1 bunch cut diagonally with roots removed)
• 1  cup celery (slender cut diagonally)
• 1  cucumber (peeled and sliced diagonally)
• 1  cup  toasted  slivered almonds (sauteed in butter(or can substitute cashews)
• 4  ounces margarine (or butter, one 4 oz stick, divided)

• Salad Dressing

• 4  tablespoons sugar (or amount to taste)
• 6  tablespoons white vinegar (or amount to taste)
• 1⁄2 cup  salad oil (don't use olive oil)
• 1  tablespoon  sesame oil
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  tablespoon Accent seasoning
• 1  teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Step 1. Fry chicken breasts in butter or margarine. Remove when done through.Take meat off bone and discard skin. Cut skinless cooked breast meat into strips and set aside.
2. Step 2. Toast the sesame seeds (in margarine or butter), Toast the slivered almonds in cleaned skillet with new margarine or butter (separately from sesame seed). Set both aside for later use.
3. Step 3. Make the salad dressing (using ingredients.
4. indicated above).
5. PREPARE DRY CELLOPHANE NOODLES FOR FLASH FRYING, CUTTING THEM INTO LENGTHS.
6. Step 4. Prepare the Chinese “cellophane” noodles for 'puffing' in hot oil by cutting up large coil of cellophane noodles into three to four inch long pieces using LARGE, HEAVY SHEARS (tin snips work well). This cutting process can be a bit messy as you cut dry cellophane threads. Do not try to use a knife or regular scissors. They are too tough to cut that way. Use very heavy shears. Cut a one whole coil of dry noodles as they come in the cellophane noodle package. Once you have all the coil of dry noodles cut into pices, ready the oil for ‘flash deep frying’ them.
7. FLASH-DEEP-FRYING (OR ‘PUFFING’) THE CELLOPHANE NOODLES.
8. In clean skillet put one inch deep oil (for flash-deep-frying the cellophane noodle pieces. Heat the oil (high heat oil like Canola) to as hot as you can get it without letting it smoke. Then, a little at a time, drop the cut cellophane noodle threads into the hot oil until the ‘threads’ quickly puff (they’ll coil around in the hot oil). This only takes split second. Then when the threads have ‘puffed’ in the hot oil, IMMEDIATELY remove these puffed noodle threads with tongs or a slotted spoon and place them on paper towel to drain. Don't let the puffed noodle pieces stay in the oil or they'll burn. Continue this process until all the cellophane noodle threads you cut up are puffed in the hot oil. The cellophane noodles threads when they puff will becomes light and airy. It won’t work if the oil isn’t deep enough or hot enough (but don’t let the oil smoke or catch fire).
9. ASSEMBLING THE SALAD.
10. Chop, shred and/or slice all the salad vegetables as indicated.
11. In a large serving or mixing bowl assemble rinsed.cut celery, peeled and sliced cucumber,chopped green onion, rough cut (or shredded) iceberg lettuce.
12. Pour off from the cut salad greens any excess water before proceeding to the next step.
13. FINAL ASSEMBLY OF COMPLETED SALAD.
14. Add back into the salad greens the already prepared sauteed strips of chicken breast, and the 'puffed' cellophane noodles.
15. Pour already prepared salad dressing (as per recipe above) over the finished salad,chicken strips and puffed noodles . Give all a quick toss to coat the salad contents with dressing.
16. Quickly sprinkle over the top of salad the toasted sesame seeds and toasted slivered almonds or roasted cashews.
17. Serve and eat immediately. Do not let the salad sit a long time but serve immediately before the dressing makes the noodles and salad greens get soggy. It is all still good even after noodles and salad greens becoming soggy but better when fresh and still crisp.
18. Enjoy.