Chinese Chicken Salad

I developed this Chinese Chicken Salad with a variety of colors, textures, and flavors. Choose and select the best possible salad without going overboard or adding “everything but the kitchen sink.”

Meggan’s notes

When I was in culinary school, we spent a lot of time talking about balance in recipes. You want to balance flavors, colors, and textures whenever possible. If you’re plate is full of nothing but soft, mushy foods, that can get pretty boring! And if every flavor hits you in the head like a hammer, you’ll end up with a headache.

That’s why this recipe has a specific selection of vegetables but not every vegetable under the sun. Cabbages, scallions, and cilantro round out the greens while carrots and color. Chow mein noodles add crunch, and chicken adds protein and softness.

A simple, delicious dressing with all the Asian flavors you know and love ties it all together. The dressing also doubles as a marinade or appetizer dipping sauce. It’s so good, you might want to drink it!

Chinese Chicken Salad Ingredients

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

• Rice vinegar: It might also be labeled as “rice wine vinegar” (they are the same thing).
• Hoisin sauce: Usually used as a sweet glaze for meat, hoisin sauce is made from soy beans, fennel, garlic, and chili peppers. Easy to find in the Asian foods section of any grocery.
• Canola oil: Or any neutral oil, like grapeseed oil or light olive oil.
• Ginger: Store the whole root ginger in the freezer (peeled or unpeeled) for up to 4 months and grate it as needed using a box grater or microplane grater. To peel the ginger, scrape of the skin with the tip of a spoon or a vegetable peeler.
• Napa cabbage: Lighter in texture (almost fluffy) than regular cabbage. If you can’t find it, use Savoy cabbage, bok choy, or plain old green cabbage. Find out how to cut cabbage like a pro, too.
• Chicken: Leftover rotisserie chicken or yesterday’s grilled chicken breasts work great. You can even use some of the salad dressing as a marinade before cooking, to boost the flavor up even more (Safety first: make extra dressing for the marinade, then discard whatever comes into contact with raw meat).
• Cilantro: If you don’t like cilantro, leave it out or substitute something else (fresh basil or parsley would both be good).

How to make Chinese Chicken Salad

1. To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil. Allow flavors to blend at room temperature while preparing the rest of the salad.

2. In a large bowl, add chicken, green and red cabbage, carrots, scallions, and cilantro.

3. Drizzle with salad dressing.

4. Toss to combine and sprinkle with chow mein noodles and sesame seeds.

Asian Chicken Salad Recipe Tips and Variations

• Yield: This recipe makes 6 generous, entrée-sized servings.
• Make ahead: Make the dressing up to 4 days before you need it. Just store in the refrigerator until you’re ready. The salad is best when tossed just before you’re ready to eat.
• More mix-ins: Try slivered, toasted almonds, ramen noodles, edamame, bean sprouts, bok choy, wonton crisps, pea pods, or mandarin orange segments.
• Rainbow Thai Salad with Mango: A vegetarian version of the Thai Chicken Salad, this version has kale, carrots, and sweet slices of mango.
• Thai Chicken Salad: This colorful salad is loaded with fresh herbs and vegetables, grilled lemon chicken, and a pantry-friendly peanut dressing. It’s a great recipe to add to your meal rotation if you’re looking for nutrient-dense, unprocessed meals.
• More Asian flavors: Start off your next Asian meal with Cream Cheese Wontons or Pot Stickers. Try a side dish of quick Brown Fried Rice or Baby Bok Choy Salad with Sesame Dressing. For a delicious main dish, try Hibachi Steak with Wasabi Potatoes and a drizzle of Teriyaki Sauce (inspired by The Cheesecake Factory).

Serving Asian Chicken Salad

Asian Chicken Salad is a great stand-alone lunch or light dinner option perfect for al fresco dining in the summer. But, don’t be afraid to think outside the salad! Tuck your chicken salad into a tortilla or pita bread for a delicious wrap, or add pasta or rice for a heartier side dish.

Complete your menu with a platter of Pot Stickers, a bowl of Chicken Ramen, or with a basket of spicy Chinese Chicken Wings. Asian Chicken Salad is a great option for meal prep, too. Because the salad is based on cabbage and carrots, it stays crunchy all week long.

Storing Chinese Chicken Salad

Store leftover salad covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Cabbage holds up better than lettuce, so this salad has staying-power.

More hearty salad ideas

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Chinese Chicken Salad

By Meggan Hill

Instead of using the "kitchen sink" approach, this crunchy, colorful Chinese Chicken Salad has a carefully-curated selection of vegetables and toppings. The dressing is delicious and doubles as a marinade and dipping sauce, too.

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Course Salad

Cuisine Asian, Chinese

Calories 410

4.95 from 85 votes

ReviewPrint

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

For the dressing:

• ▢ 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• ▢ 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• ▢ 2 tablespoons canola oil
• ▢ 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated (see note 1)
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

For the salad:

• ▢ 4 cups cooked chicken shredded or diced
• ▢ 1 pound napa cabbage cored and finely shredded (about 4 cups, see note 2)
• ▢ 2 cups shredded red cabbage
• ▢ 1 cup shredded carrots
• ▢ 1 bunch scallions thinly sliced
• ▢ 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro (see note 3)
• ▢ 1 cup chow mein noodles
• ▢ 2 tablespoons sesame seeds for garnish, optional

Instructions 

• To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil. Allow flavors to blend at room temperature while preparing the rest of the salad.
• In a large bowl, add chicken, green and red cabbage, carrots, scallions, and cilantro. Drizzle with salad dressing and toss to combine. Sprinkle with chow mein noodles and sesame seeds.

Recipe Video

Notes

1. Ginger: Store the whole root ginger in the freezer (peeled or unpeeled) for up to 4 months and grate it as needed using a box grater or microplane grater. To peel the ginger, scrape of the skin with the tip of a spoon or a vegetable peeler.
2. Napa cabbage: Or substitute green cabbage, savoy cabbage, or even bok choy. 
3. Cilantro: If you don’t like cilantro, substitute fresh parsley or basil.
4. Yield: This recipe makes 6 generous, entrée-sized servings.
5. Storage: Store leftover salad covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Cabbage holds up better than lettuce, so this salad has staying-power.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 410kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 32gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 770mgPotassium: 521mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 696IUVitamin C: 38mgCalcium: 118mgIron: 4mg

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