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    Home » Recipes » Salads » Chinese Chicken Salad: An Easy Exciting Main Dish

    LAST UPDATED: September 25, 2020 • FIRST PUBLISHED: January 8, 2019 By Toni Dash 71 Comments

    Chinese Chicken Salad: An Easy Exciting Main Dish

    Jump to Recipe

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Chinese Chicken Salad title image

    Chinese Chicken Salad is loaded with vibrant flavors and textures. Great for a main dish salad that’s filling and satisfying!

    Chinese Chicken Salad title image

    This favorite restaurant dish is easy to make at home too!

    The filling, wholesome ingredients and bold flavors in the dressing make it a perfect year-round main dish recipe.

    Bright colors and fresh crunchy texture make it a family favorite recipe.

    What Is Chinese Chicken Salad?

    It is a robust salad featuring chopped or shredded chicken.

    Asian ingredients and flavors that have become popular in the United States combine to make the salad a fresh, brightly flavored, crunchy main dish.

    There are many variation of this recipe. I’m not sure there a true standard version!

    Some versions include canned mandarin orange segments or fried Chow Mein noodles.

    Instead I opted for more fresh ingredients that give the burst of flavor and the crunchy texture.

    chinese chicken salad cabbage carrots

    Recipe Ingredients

    What’s in it? Loads of wholesome delicious ingredients!

    • Soft Napa cabbage
    • Red cabbage
    • Cilantro
    • Carrots
    • Green onions
    • Shredded chicken breast – homemade or Rotisserie chicken
    • Sliced almonds – finish the presentation and give another crunch

    The combination of red and green cabbages make a beautiful color combination for the other ingredients!

    Chinese Chicken Salad in a white bowl

    How to Make Chinese Chicken Salad Dressing

    The dressing is a combination of wonderful Asian flavors:

    • Sesame oil
    • Rice Wine Vinegar – Rice Vinegar can also be used
    • Chili oil – for a light bit of heat
    • Tamari or soy sauce – for some salt
    • fresh Ginger
    • Brown Sugar
    • Garlic

    It’s tangy, salty, spicy and bright in flavor adding the finishing touch on the salad.

    The fresh ginger and garlic flavors add a big punch of flavor!

    Add all ingredients to a jar and seal.

    Shake to combine and set aside for the flavors to infuse while making the salad.

    PRO TIP for Adding the Dressing

    If you’ll be serving the salad in one sitting, use all of the dressing.

    If you will serve it over a few meals, add the dressing ONLY to individual portions of salad and store the rest in the refrigerator.

    Keep the salad in a sealed container or covered with plastic wrap, and the dressing separately in a sealed jar.

    This will keep the salad fresh and crunchy until the dressing is added.

    Chinese Chicken Salad close up in white bowl

    Make it Gluten-Free!

    This recipe does not contain Chow Mein noodles as some recipes do.

    That takes the gluten away from the ingredients.

    When making the dressing use Tamari, which is a gluten-free version of soy sauce!

    PRO TIP: How to Cook Chicken for the Salad

    Shredded chicken breast adds tasty protein to this salad recipe.

    The recipe calls for making the BEST shredded chicken via a little trick I have!

    It makes moist, shredded chicken packed with great flavor!

    It doesn’t taste like stewed chicken which is often used on salads.

    Also a cool shredding method (no forks or fingers required) that’s truly life changing.

    Both this methods are easy and something you’ll use again and again in different recipes.

    blue plate with homemade shredded chicken

    Make it a Meal!

    Since this is a main dish recipe with a variety of satisfying ingredients, it’s fine to serve it by itself.

    If you want to add more to the menu here are some suggestions:

    • Pot Stickers (I make frozen gluten-free pot stickers that are as good as those homemade; keep it easy)
    • Egg Rolls
    • Fruit Skewers
    • Spicy Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice
    • Spicy Garlic Sriracha Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry
    • Singapore Street Noodles

    Chinese Chicken Salad

    Did you make it? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

    Please SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK , TWITTER , INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST !

    Chinese Chicken Salad

    Chinese Chicken Salad

    This colorful, crunchy main dish salad is fresh with healthy whole ingredients bursting with flavor. The tangy, slightly spicy dressing is the perfect finishing touch.
    5 from 44 votes
    Print Save Recipe Recipe Saved! Pin Rate
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 8 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 6 main dish salads (approximately 2 cup servings)
    Calories: 195kcal
    Author: Toni Dash
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    Ingredients

    Ingredients for the Dressing:

    • 1/3 cup Rice Wine Vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons Tamari (if gluten-free) or regular Soy Sauce (if not gluten-free)
    • 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
    • 1 teaspoon Chili Oil
    • 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
    • 1 tablespoon fresh diced Ginger Root
    • 1 large Garlic Clove , diced

    Ingredients for the Salad:

    • 1 recipe Homemade Moist Shredded Chicken Breast (equivalent of 3 cups shredded chicken)
    • 5 cups Shredded Napa Cabbage (I cut across the cabbage and separate the slice into individual strands of cabbage)
    • 3 cups Finely Shredded Red Cabbage
    • 2 cups Grated Carrots
    • ½ cup chopped fresh Cilantro leaves
    • 4 large Scallions (green onions), trimmed and sliced (both white and green portions)
    • ¼ cup Sesame Seeds (white, black or a mix)
    • ¼ cup Sliced Almonds

    Instructions

    • Prepared the dressing by combining all the dressing ingredients into a small jar with a lid. Seal, shake vigorously and set aside for the flavors to infuse.
    • Prepare the homemade moist shredded chicken breast. While the chicken breasts are cooking, in a large bowl combine the Napa cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, cilantro and green onions; toss to combine, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
    • Allow the freshly shredded chicken to cool slightly and combine with the salad and the sesame seeds; toss.
    • Dressing the salad: if you plan to serve the entire salad, add all of the dressing and toss. If you plan to use the salad over multiple meals, dress individual servings of the salad and store the salad and dressing separately to keep the salad crisp. Sprinkle the top of the salad with sliced almonds just before serving to keep them crunchy.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 407mg | Potassium: 571mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 7995IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 2.3mg
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @boulderlocavore or tag #boulderlocavore!

    Originally published: January 6, 2017

    « Dragon Shrimp & Spicy Noodles: Spicy, Sweet & on the table in 20 minutes!
    Salt & Pepper Roasted Chicken Thighs: Easy Comfort Food Recipe »

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    TONI DASH
    Toni Dash head shot

    Toni Dash, is a Certified Nutrition Coach and the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of Boulder Locavore®. She has been developing easy to make, well-tested recipes since 2010. Her seasonal recipes bring excitement to the dining table for both gluten-free and gluten diners. Toni has been featured in numerous publications and on culinary websites for her creative, delicious recipes and travel features. For more details, check out her About page.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Lindsay Cotter says

      June 04, 2020 at 5:58 am

      5 stars
      This is one of our favorite dinners! Love all the textures and the flavor is spot on!

      Reply
    2. Suzy says

      June 03, 2020 at 1:48 pm

      5 stars
      We’ve had something smiliar but it never involved chicken! I love this version! It’s a whole meal packed into one bowl!

      Reply
    3. Katie says

      June 03, 2020 at 11:53 am

      5 stars
      I’ve had this at restaurants but making it at home is so simple, and so much better!!

      Reply
    4. Kimberly says

      June 03, 2020 at 10:34 am

      5 stars
      This salad is SO good, a total slam dunk winner!

      Reply
    5. wilhelmina says

      June 03, 2020 at 10:32 am

      5 stars
      Oh wow! This salad has all the flavors I love, delicious!

      Reply
    6. Beti | easyweeknightrecipes says

      June 03, 2020 at 9:30 am

      5 stars
      Such a delicious salad! I would love this for lunch! YUM!

      Reply
    7. Catalina says

      June 02, 2020 at 10:52 pm

      5 stars
      So many flavors that I love! I should definitely make these tonight!

      Reply
    8. Vikki says

      June 02, 2020 at 10:41 pm

      5 stars
      So many wonderful flavors in this vibrant salad! SO tasty

      Reply
    9. Sherry says

      June 02, 2020 at 7:57 pm

      Why have I never tried a salad like this before? I love all the flavors included.

      Reply
    « Older Comments

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    About Toni Dash

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    Welcome! I’m Toni. I’m a Certified Nutrition Coach and my goal is to MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER with delicious, well-tested recipes and travel tips! More About Me …

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