Dinnertime can be hectic around here. The clock strikes 5pm and I know that I have to get a meal started at just about the exact moment that toddler-meltdown-hour is also about to begin. I almost think that there should be a cooking competition show where chefs have to make a dinner out of a mystery basket of ingredients while a toddler is pulling on their pant leg asking for some snacks – now that would be a cooking competition worth watching!
To combat that frenzied 5pm rush, I do everything in my power to simplify the steps that I need to get our meal on the table. Meal planning helps a lot, and this week I was flipping through my recipe binder and found an old recipe for an Asian Broccoli Slaw. It was something a friend of mine brought to a BBQ once and I scribbled down a loose list of ingredients without much instruction to re-create at later date. I’ve never recreated it, so this week I was inspired to give it a try. The most complex part of the recipe was pulling together a vinaigrette to dress the slaw mixture, so to save time I decided to scrap the list of ingredients and use Ken’s Simply Asian Vinaigrette instead. The dressing (one of their new products!) has all of the bold Asian flavor notes I was looking to pull into the dish – soy and vinegar, garlic and ginger, and a bit of citrus too.
My favorite part about this dish is all of the texture and color. The cabbage, broccoli slaw and carrots give the dish tons of crunch, and crushed up ramen noodles marinate and absorb the flavorful Ken’s Simply Asian Vinaigrette for even more depth to the dish. I also toss in almonds and sesame seeds at the end for a nutty finishing touch.
As I mentioned above, dinnertime is all about simplifying, so I used the very same Ken’s Simply Asian Vinaigrette to marinate some chicken thighs. Using the same flavorful dressing helps tie the two parts of the dish together really cohesively (and saves me time!). The chicken can be marinated in advance, and cooks in just a few minutes on the grill. The grill has been essential this summer for getting quick, fresh meals on the table – we use it 4-5 days a week!
The cooked chicken sits on top of the dressed slaw mixture and makes for a tasty weeknight meal. I make this in a bigger batch than we need for one sitting and have the leftovers for lunch – the dressing flavors deepen and taste even better the next day! Get the full recipe below:
- 2 Lbs. of Chicken Thighs
- 1.5 Cups of Ken’s Simply Asian Vinaigrette, divided
- 12 oz. Bag of Broccoli Slaw
- 2 Cups of Shredded Red Cabbage
- 1 Cup of Shredded Carrots
- 2 Packages of Ramen Noodles
- ½ Ramen noodle spice packet
- ½ Cup of Sliced Almonds
- ¼ Cup of Dried Cranberries
- 2 Tbsp. of Sesame Seeds, plus more for serving
- ¼ Cup of chopped fresh scallions, plus more for serving
- Salt and Pepper
- Coat the chicken thighs with 1 Cup of Ken’s Simply Asian Vinaigrette and season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- While chicken is marinating, prepare the slaw. Combine ½ cup of Ken’s Simply Asian Vinaigrette with ½ spice packet from the ramen noodles. Crush ramen noodles into small bite sized pieces and toss with the dressing. Add in red cabbage, broccoli slaw, and shredded carrots; toss to combine and coat with the dressing. Fold in sliced almonds, dried cranberries, sesame seeds, and scallions. Let the mixture marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Pre-heat your grill to medium-high heat and place your chicken thighs on the hot grill to cook through. Remove from grill once they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving over the broccoli slaw. Garnish with additional sesame seeds and chopped scallions; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Please note: This post was created in partnership with Ken’s Foods. All opinions, images, and content are my own. Thank you for supporting brands that support this site.
