One bite of this crisp, crunchy, fresh Chinese Chicken Salad and you’ll immediately want to make it week after week. It’s the perfect lunch or weeknight dinner and has tons of flavors and textures with an absolute game-changing dressing!
Why I Love Chinese Chicken Salad
- Super Delicious: With tender, juicy chicken mingling with crispy crunchy veggies and a savory dressing that is out of this world, each bite is like a joyful dance party in your mouth!
- Nutritious and Balanced: Not only is this salad a burst of flavors, but it’s also a wholesome meal. With lean protein, fresh veggies, and healthy fats, it’s a delicious way to maintain a balanced diet.
- Your Way, Every Way: The best part? You can make it your own! Adjust the ingredients, go meatless or add different veggies – this salad is all about you and your preferences.
- Lunchtime Delight: This salad is fantastic for packed lunches too! It keeps in the refrigerator for days and since it’s filled with crunchy veggies is won’t get too soggy before you can enjoy it!
- Kid-Friendly Surprise: I know that salad and kids don’t “usually” mix, but this salad is a great one to introduce your kids to. You may be pleasantly surprised when they ask for more!
Chinese Chicken Salad Ingredients:
For the Salad:
- Chicken breast
- Large carrot
- Napa cabbage
- Red bell pepper
- Cilantro
- Toasted sesame seeds
For the Dressing:
- Sesame oil
- Soy sauce or braggs
- Minced ginger
- Rice vinegar
- Almond butter
- Mayonnaise or Vegannaise
- Oil
How to Make Chinese Chicken Salad
- Cook the chicken: Place the chicken breast in a steamer pot over boiling water. Cook for 8 minutes or until cooked through. Cool and cut into chunks. If you already have cooked chicken on hand, then you can skip this step!
- Assemble the salad: Combine the chicken, carrots, cabbage, bell pepper, cilantro and sesame seeds in a large bowl.
- Make the dressing: Place the remaining ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine.
- Toss and finish: Add the dressing to the salad and toss to combine.
Customization Ideas – Make It Yours:
- Veggie Lover’s Dream: Swap out the chicken for tofu, tempeh, or edamame to create a delightful meatless version of this salad that’s still packed with protein.
- Gluten-Free Galore: Keep it gluten-free by using gluten-free Bragg’s liquid aminos instead of soy sauce.
- Nutty Adventure: Add some chopped peanuts or almonds for an extra layer of crunch.
- Spicy Surprise: If you’re feeling bold, sprinkle some red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
Meal Prep Tips
- Make this Perfect Roast Chicken at the beginning of the week and use the leftovers in this recipe to skip a step! Or make two chickens and ensure you have leftovers for meal prepping this salad.
- FYI: If making this ahead, keep the salad and dressing separate until you’re ready to eat!
More Asian-Inspired Recipes
If you’re looking an easy, yet flavorful lunch or weeknight dinner this Chinese Chicken Salad is the ticket! It’s a perfect blend of savory chicken, fresh veggies, and a delectable dressing that will be a total crowd pleaser. Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments or tag me on social media if you make it!
Images by Ivan Solis
Chinese Chicken Salad
Chinese Chicken Salad is an easy, yet flavorful lunch or weeknight dinner. With a perfect blend of savory chicken, fresh veggies, and a delectable dressing, this salad is a total crowd pleaser.
Ingredients
- 1 chicken breast
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into thin coins
- 1 head napa cabbage, chopped
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, sliced into 1/2-inch strips
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or bragg's liquid aminos)
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise or vegannaise
- 2 tablespoons oil
Instructions
- Place the chicken breast in a steamer pot over boiling water. Cook for 8 minutes or until cooked through. Cool and cut into chunks. You can also use leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken and skip this step.
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken, carrot, cabbage, bell pepper, cilantro and sesame seeds.
- Place the remaining ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine.
- Add the dressing to the salad and toss to combine.
Nutrition
Calories: 473kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 746mg | Potassium: 1777mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 8677IU | Vitamin C: 173mg | Calcium: 417mg | Iron: 3mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @Weelicious or tag #weelicious!
Hi,
Where is it that you see the Nutritional Information? I wanted to try this and add the info to My Fitness Pal (I can’t find it specifically already entered) and didn’t see it in the cookbook or online; however this question makes me think it must be available somewhere. Am I missing it?
Thank you!
So glad this was a hit! Woohoo!
I just made this, eating it as I type. OMGosh, it is so, so good! Stop what you’re doing and go make it! I can’t wait to share it with my daughter.
It is calculated to serve 5, so the nutrition info is for 1/5 of the total recipe!
Hi Catherine, I’m looking forward to trying this recipe tomorrow as we enjoy MANY of your recipes! Just wondering whether the nutritional information was for 1/4 or 1/6 of the recipe? thanks!
On the right side of the homepage is a box that says “sign up for free daily recipes”. Put your email address in there and click “submit” and you’ll be signed up!
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Whoops! Thanks for that! I have updated the recipe. 🙂
Hi,
this sounds interesting except there are many details that are left out, like shredding (?) the cabbage, chopping (?) the peppers, etc. I doubt you mean to imply that the cabbage leaves are tossed into the recipe, right???
PAS
Love salads and homemade dressings
What can I use instead of almond butter…any ideas?
I made this for my 15 month old, she promptly threw it on the floor, but when I put in on her highchair minus the bowl she devoured it!! I wrapped mine in a cabbage leaf and it was so tasty! Thanks!
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