Why not add this simple cold meal prep lunch to your rotation? These Sesame Chicken Cold Rice Noodle Salad Lunches are full of mandarins, cucumbers, cabbage, carrots, sesame shredded chicken, and cold rice noodles for a total meal prep game changer!
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SUMMER IS COMING. Can that be our new phrase? I’m so over winter. As summer approaches and I patiently wait to see if any of my romaine seeds will germinate, cold lunch demand is rising. These Sesame Chicken Cold Rice Noodle Salad Lunches are here right. on. time. 70s next week? No problemo.
I’ve been experimenting with creating recipes that build on each other – basically a base recipe (for any protein, veggies or starch, but not a complete meal) and then another, more complete, recipe using that base recipe – and sharing them both with you here.
This is the second recipe in a second pair I’ve done like this, and I’m definitely liking it! It helps guide my recipe development, but also helps give you ideas for basic recipes while giving you room to try your own cooking style.
Example: “Wow, the original Sesame Chicken is great, but I DO NOT like cabbage, so I’m going to use the Sesame Chicken for something else instead of these cold rice noodle salads.” <— perfectly normal reaction to eating food and seeing recipes online. I give examples, then you do you. One of the original reasons I created Project Meal Plan!
What are the ingredients of the Sesame Chicken Cold Rice Noodle Salad Lunches?
The ingredients chosen for this salad are based on my personal preferences – do feel free to substitute or add your favorite vegetables so you enjoy this salad meal prep a little more 🙂
- rice noodles – I have only tested this with Annie Chun’s Pad Thai Rice Noodles (affiliate link!), they work great! There are box directions for using them for cold salads, so it’s meant to be. Cook them as the box says, then give them a rinse in cold water. They can be eaten cold or reheated.
- shredded sesame chicken – For this cold rice noodle salad combo, I’ve chosen to use my Instant Pot Sesame Shredded Chicken recipe and sauce. See below for options if you don’t have an Instant Pot or want to make your own chicken to go with the salad!
- sesame sauce – I use the homemade sesame sauce from the Sesame Shredded Chicken recipe, but you can also use any bottled sauce you like to flavor the salad differently.
- mandarins – Using fresh or canned mandarins are both totally acceptable ways to add mandarins to this salad. Canned varieties usually have added sugar, so watch out.
- shredded cabbage – Make it easy on yourself and buy a bag of shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix! Get the kind with shredded carrots, or…
- shredded carrots – Just recently discovered how cheap shredded carrots are and I’m putting them on everything. Such a time saver here! Not required if you coleslaw mix has carrots. More carrots = never bad.
- sliced cucumber – I love cucumbers in recipes like this: so crunchy and refreshing. I used one whole cucumber and portioned it between four lunches.
What kind of chicken goes in these cold rice noodle salad lunches?
As written, the chicken for these Sesame Chicken Cold Rice Noodle Salad Lunches is based entirely off my recipe for Instant Pot Sesame Shredded Chicken. I prefer this chicken recipe in this salad recipe for a couple reasons (aside from the fact that they were developed side-by-side):
- it’s shredded – These days I’m finding I really like shredded chicken in casseroles, soups, salads, etc. instead of chunks. Shredded chicken can absorb flavorful liquids while also staying in small pieces so it doesn’t overwhelm the rest of my dish. Did I explain this right? I don’t actually know, but it’s still a win in my book.
- the sauce – A dressing or sauce is REQUIRED for any salad I will eat, so making a sesame dressing from the chicken cooking liquid was only natural. I like that I don’t have to waste the liquid AND I don’t have to make a separate sauce. Two birds, one stone.
- instant pot – summer is meant for Instant Pots, because you don’t have to use the oven and heat up the house. WIN WIN WIN.
How can I prepare the chicken if I don’t have an Instant Pot?
Making this cold rice noodle salad recipe and including some yummy sesame chicken are still doable if you don’t have an Instant Pot! Here are some ways to make it happen:
- Stovetop chicken & sauce: Use a large skillet or Dutch oven. Follow directions as normal to mix up the sauce and add it to the pan with the chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Let it simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165F. Remove the chicken, let it cool and shred. Make the sauce thickener by mixing 1/2 TB cornstarch with 1 TB water in a small bowl. Whisk the thickening mixture into the Dutch oven with the cooking liquid, then let the sauce simmer for 5-10 minutes until thickened. It will thicken more as it cool.
- Slow cooker chicken & sauce: Mix up the sauce, then add chicken and sauce to slow cooker and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours until the chicken is done. Remove chicken and shred. Make the sauce thickener by mixing 1/2 TB cornstarch with 1 TB water in a small bowl. Add the mixture to the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for about 20 minutes. Remove sauce from slow cooker and set aside to cool, then use in the meal prep bowls. Sauce will thicken as it cools.
- Any cooked chicken + bottled sauce: If you don’t need the sesame chicken in your life, feel free to use any cooked and shredded chicken (leftover, rotisserie, whatever) and add any bottled dressing or sauce you like.
How do you prepare the noodles for meal prep?
My recommendation for this meal prep is to use Annie Chun’s Pad Thai Rice Noodles (affiliate link!). For this specific meal prep recipe, I was using half the box of noodles (4 ounces). Cook the noodles as the box directs, then rinse them well in cold water. Portion as needed! They store well for up to 4 days and can also be reheated. I also use them in my Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Noodles Meal Prep.
How long will this meal prep lunch last?
This Cold Rice Noodle Salad meal prep will last up to 4 days in the fridge. Sorry, this is not a good freezer recipe option!
More cold lunch meal prep ideas from Project Meal Plan:
- Chicken & Hummus Plate Lunch Meal Prep
- Lemon Poppyseed Couscous Arugula Salad
- Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps Meal Prep
Sesame Chicken Cold Rice Noodle Salad Lunches
Why not add this simple cold meal prep lunch to your rotation? These Sesame Chicken Cold Rice Noodle Salad Lunches are full of mandarins, cucumbers, cabbage, carrots, sesame shredded chicken, and cold rice noodles for a total meal prep game changer!
- Total Time20 minutes
- Yield4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded cabbage (or bagged coleslaw mix)
- 1 cup shredded carrots (optional if not in coleslaw mix)
- 1 large cucumber, sliced
- 15 ounce can mandarins, drained (no sugar added; OR use 3–4 small fresh mandarins)
- prepared Instant Pot Sesame Shredded Chicken + prepared sesame sauce (*see notes for options)
- 4 ounces pad thai rice noodles (I used 1/2 box of Annie Chun’s Pad Thai Rice Noodles (affiliate link!))
- toppings: toasted sesame seeds, sliced green onions
Instructions
- Cook the sesame shredded chicken and sauce, if not already prepared. Keep prepared sauce and chicken separate so you can add them to the meal prep containers as needed.
- Cook the pad thai rice noodles according to the box directions, following the minimum cook time listed. Rinse with cold water.
- Assemble meal prep lunches: To each meal prep container or bowl, add 3/4 cup shredded cabbage, 1/4 cup shredded carrots, 1/4 of the sliced cucumber, 3.75 ounces mandarin segments, 4 ounces sesame shredded chicken, 1 ounce pad thai noodles, and a long drizzle of sesame sauce (or keep the sauce on the side and add right before eating).
- Store: Keep in the refrigerator and enjoy within 4 days.
Equipment
3-Cup Pyrex Rectangle Glass Containers
Buy Now →
Annie Chun’s Pad Thai Rice Noodles
Buy Now →(affiliate link!)
Notes
The original Sesame Shredded Chicken recipe is made in the Instant Pot and includes yummy sesame sauce. The recipe page includes instructions for stovetop or slow cooker chicken and sauce if you don’t have an Instant Pot. You can also use any cooked shredded chicken (leftover, rotisserie, whatever) and any bottled dressing or sauce you like.
Nutrition information estimated with My Fitness Pal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meal prep salad
- Calories: 420
- Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 59g
- Protein: 32g
Hope these Sesame Chicken Cold Rice Noodle Salad Lunches were helpful for your Meal Prep Sunday this week! I’d love to see your meal prep creation – tag me @projectmealplan or use the hashtag #projectmealplan! Enjoy!
