Get my Cookbooks! Chinese Chicken Salad
This Chinese Chicken Salad has the BEST homemade dressing and is easy to make with fresh lettuce, cabbage, chicken, and crispy toppings! This is truly a restaurant-worthy recipe.
Be sure to try my Egg Roll in a Bowl and Korean Beef Bowl recipes next!
Chinese Chicken Salad
There is something so exciting about ordering Chinese Chicken Salad at a restaurant, but it’s even more exciting that you can make an exact replica at home!
The easy homemade dressing makes this dish! And the best part is that you don’t have to turn on your oven or stove to make this! Simply use leftover or rotisserie chicken, some fresh cabbage, lettuce, carrots, and your favorite crunchy toppings!
This is also easy to make ahead of time and serve to guests or bring to a potluck– you will WOW your family and friends with this one!
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Ingredients: Nappa cabbage, iceberg lettuce, chicken, carrots, mandarin oranges, green onions, sliced almonds, chow mein noodles, wonton strips, and toasted sesame seeds.
Instructions: Arrange cabbage and lettuce on a serving platter and drizzle with a little dressing. Top with chicken, carrots, oranges, and green onions. Drizzle with more dressing and top with crispy toppings. Serve with remaining dressing on the side.
Pro Tips
- Crunchy Toppings: I use La Choy Chow Mein Noodles and Mee Tu Chinese Noodles, both found in the Asian aisle at the grocery store. Typically these are more economical than purchasing salad toppers from the produce section.
- Make sure your sesame seeds are roasted/toasted for ultimate flavor. (You can do this yourself in a skillet over medium heat if needed, it takes just a few minutes.)
- Nuts: Other delicious nut options include honey roasted peanuts, cashews, or walnuts!
- Hoisin Sauce: I use Sun Luck brand, it’s good!
- Add-ons: Other great additions include goat cheese, avocado, red cabbage, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, baby corn, shrimp, and bell peppers.
- Crispy Chicken: Feel free to make this recipe with my Fried Chicken Tenders!
- 📘 Find this recipe on page 68 of my 2nd cookbook, Let’s Eat!
Storage
- Tossed salad is best if eaten fresh, especially if the crunchy toppings have been added.
- Salad ingredients can be prepared and stored separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days before being tossed and served. Shake dressing prior to serving.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- Salad Serving Platters
- Salad Servers
- Cutting Boards
- Salad Dressing Shaker or Mini Food Processor
- Salad Dressing Containers– lunch sizes for on-the-go!
Try These Next
-
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
-
- Beef and Broccoli Ramen
-
- Pineapple Fried Rice
-
- Ramen Noodle Salad
-
- Chickpea Salad
-
- Thai Chicken Salad
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Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Chinese Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 4 cups Napa cabbage, shredded
- 3 cups Iceberg lettuce, chopped
- 2 ½ cups cooked chicken, diced
- 1 cup carrots, julienned
- 11 oz. mandarin oranges, drained and patted dry
- 1/3 cup green onions, diced
- ½ cup chow mein noodles
- ½ cup crispy wonton strips
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil, can sub avocado, vegetable, or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon peanut butter, optional
- ¾ teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Combine salad dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake very well to combine. (A mini food processor may also be used.) Refrigerate while you prepare remaining ingredients.
- Arrange cabbage and lettuce on a serving platter or in large bowl and drizzle with a little dressing.
- Top with chicken, carrots, oranges, and green onions. Drizzle with more dressing and top with almonds, chow mein noodles, wonton strips, and sesame seeds. Serve with remaining dressing on the side.
Notes
- Crunchy Toppings: I use La Choy Chow Mein Noodles and Mee Tu Chinese Noodles, both found in the Asian aisle at the grocery store. Typically these are more economical than purchasing salad toppers from the produce section.
- Make sure your sesame seeds are roasted/toasted for ultimate flavor. (You can do this yourself in a skillet over medium heat if needed, it takes just a few minutes.)
- Nuts: Other delicious nut options include honey roasted peanuts, cashews, or walnuts!
- Hoisin Sauce: I use Sun Luck brand, it's good!
- Add-ons: Other great additions include goat cheese, avocado, red cabbage, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, baby corn, shrimp, and bell peppers.
- Crispy Chicken: Feel free to make this recipe with my Fried Chicken Tenders!
- 📘 Find this recipe on page 68 of my 2nd cookbook, Let’s Eat!
Storage
- Tossed salad is best if eaten fresh, especially if the crunchy toppings have been added.
- Salad ingredients can be prepared and stored separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days before being tossed and served. Shake dressing prior to serving.
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 4 servings in this recipe.
Turned out great. Son and I loved it! Im curiuous about trying the dressing as a marinade for some salmon and throwing it on the grill and just putting it over some romain and additional dressing for a simple meal as well. Sons idea, we gonna try it tonight. Thanks for the great recipe.
I’m so glad that you loved it! The dressing is EVERYTHING! I love your idea and I bet that method will be amazing!!!