The hero of this Chinese Chicken Salad is the Asian Dressing and crunchy noodles. It can make any bowl of fresh greens devilishly moreish! Made with cabbage, carrots, green onions and chicken, finished with sesame seeds, this is terrific for packed lunches as it keeps well for days!
CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD – MY MOST MADE ASIAN SALAD!
This is my most made faux Asian salad. It’s “faux” because it’s in no way authentic Chinese and that’s totally ok.
I love it anyway because it’s so delish, and it’s a good way to make me inhale large volumes of fresh greens.
THE ASIAN SALAD DRESSING
The Asian salad dressing I use in this salad is based on a recipe by David Chang of Momofuku. It’s made with all manner of Asiany ingredients – soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic and ginger – but there’s plenty of flex here which I’ve jotted down in the recipe notes.
I love the fresh hit of ginger and garlic in the dressing but I quite often make this salad using my standby simple Asian Sesame Dressing. Made with just soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, oil and sugar, it keeps for days, weeks even. It would be unusual if I didn’t have a jar of this lurking in the dark depths of my fridge at all times!
I think the thing that really seals the deal for me about this Chinese Chicken Salad are the crunchy noodles. I just use Chang’s Fried Noodles which are often on sale at the supermarket for around $1. Any brand will do – the thin ones I’ve used or even the wider ones. Just as long as they’re crunchy!! – Nagi x
PS This is a terrific do-ahead meal. The chopped veggies stay fresh for days in the fridge – I’ve kept them for 5 days in an airtight container – and shredded chicken can be frozen. The only thing to add fresh is the ginger and garlic in the dressing.
MORE ASIAN SALADS
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Chinese Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Asian Dressing
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce (Note 1)
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar (aka rice wine vinegar, or use cider vinegar)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil (toasted)
- 2 tbsp grapeseed oil (or canola or any other neutral flavored oil)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh ginger , grated or very finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Salad
- 4 cups Chinese cabbage (Nappa Cabbage), finely shredded (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 cups red cabbage , finely shredded
- 1 cup carrot , finely julienned (see video)
- 2 cups chicken , shredded
- 1/2 cup shallots / scallions , finely sliced on the diagonal
Garnishes
- 1/2 to 1 cup crunchy noodles (I use Chang’s) (Note 3)
- 1 – 2 tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Combine the Dressing ingredients in a jar and shake. Set aside for 10 minutes or so for the flavours to meld.
- Place the Salad ingredients together in a large bowl along with half the crunchy noodles. Drizzle over dressing then toss. (Note 4)
- Divide between serving bowls. Top with more crunchy noodles and a good sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve immediately!
Recipe Notes:
Originally published June 2015, updated with new photos and video. No change to recipe.Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
He wasn’t bothered by the burs. Unlike me. Prickly legs!!!
Hi Nagi,
It’s me again, with yet another question. Do you use toasted or regular sesame oil in the dressing? 1 tablespoon seems like a lot of the toasted kind, so I had to make sure before dinner tomorrow.
Side note – plans to use Everyday Slaw on carnitas got changed, so I decided to use the leftover slaw and tinker with the dressing for Chinese Chicken Salad. And here’s your recipe in my inbox this morning! Are you psychic?
Toasted! I always forget you can get both overseas 🙂 Here in Australia, we don’t get untoasted sesame oil. I will update the recipe now! It is unusual to use so much toasted sesame oil in a dressing but it’s a sesame flavoured Asian dressing 🙂 And yes, I try to be psychic. It’s my GOAL! 😂
Thanks for a great looking recipe Nagi. I can’t wait to try it. I have been searching for a great ginger/Asian dressing.
Glad to see Dozer is doing better.
You’re so welcome Regina! Hope you get a chance to try it! N x
Great recipe, thanks for sharing! I am making a similar salad, but add thinly sliced red bell pepper and lots of cilantro (both for taste and colors). Instead of the fried noodles I usually added dry-roasted, chopped peanuts, because I agree: The crunch factor that comes from either the noodles or the peanuts is definitely a game-changer in this salad. Instead of soy sauce I also used fish sauce, which makes this whole salad more Vietnamese-style, but it’s great too. I also use shredded chicken, but think this would be great with shrimp, too.
Ooh I love your take on this! Thanks for the tips! N x
Delicious and super crunchy. Love it Nagi.
SO GALD you enjoyed this Suzie!!! Personal fave 🙂 N x
Let me start by saying cabbage has never tasted so good. I made this salad for dinner tonight, intending to save some leftovers for lunch tomorrow…two bites in, I kissed that plan goodbye (next time I’ll be making a double batch).
The crunchy noodles and dressing really make this addictive – definitely a duo I’ll be trying with other salads and veggies. Thanks for an awesome (and surprisingly easy/quick) recipe, Nagi!
Thanks for the great review Jack! I’m SO pleased to hear you enjoyed it! N xx
I really enjoyed this salad, I added it to my favorite meal rotation. I forgot to buy red cabbage and it is delicious without it, although I am sure it adds to the flavor profile and definitely to the presentation. I may add some red peppers to my leftovers to brighten it up, I did not add the Vinaigrette to them.
Great to hear you enjoyed this Kathleen! Thanks for letting me know – N xx
have been looking for a dressing recipe to The Cheesecake Factory’s that they put on one of their Asian salads. Made this dressing last night and Oh My God is it absolutely delicious! I am one happy girl! I will be making this often! So GREAT!
I never tried it at the Cheesecake Factory!!!! I am so glad you think it’s similar! 🙂
The salad is nice but your worship of David Chang is kind of sad. Everything and I mean EVERYTHING in his cookbook is a ripoff. People are now just starting to realize. Ever wondered why Chang avoids Asia as much as possible? It’s all still delicious but Chang is totally not innovative or some culinary monarch
I’m sorry you think that of him Andrew! I really admire him. 🙂 I’ve never heard anything about his recipes being a copy!
Hey Nagi
We had this yummy, crunchy, flavoursome salad with our Asian marinated lamb steaks from the barbie. Very tasty !and we will be keeping this one for many other proteins we need a great salad to add to!
Oooh!!! So glad you enjoyed it! And Asian marinated lamb steaks? My ears just perked up! Chinese?? There are some fantastic Chinese lamb recipes!!
Hi Nagi- This is my first time on your site, everything looks amazing! I’m definitely going to try this recipe, my family is getting bored of kale salads haha. I agree, it’s definitely not authentic Chinese cuisine, but it’s such a crowd pleaser! Looking forward to coming back for more recipes.
Thanks so much Jessica! And welcome to my site, I’m so glad you like the look of some of the recipes!! N x
Loved the salad,taste great,looks beautiful
Thank you Doris!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
Great recipe! I added some sliced cucumber and green pepper and it turned out really nice!
So glad you loved it Luke!!! N x
This looks delicious! I do have a question. This recipe calls for rice vinegar, aka, rice wine vinegar. On the page with the 20 different (delicious) salad dressings the Asian style dressing has a note to use rice wine vinegar, not rice vinegar. I have never used either, so this is confusing me. What am I missing?
You aren’t missing anything! It is my fault. In the salad dressing recipe, I got myself confused. I meant to write do NOT use rice wine! Rice wine vinegar and rice vinegar are the same thing 🙂 I promise to create an ingredients section in this blog soon and whenever I use Asian ingredients like that, I will link it through to that page so you can know exactly what to get. I’m sorry again for my typo in the dressings recipe. 🙂 Fixed!
I made this salad, as a side and as a main course. Main course with chicken, and side without. The only thing I changed was the addition of cilantro, 1/4 c. chopped and toasted slivered almonds instead of peanuts. Wow, was this a hit! My dad, who is 76 this year, (and by the way opposed to spice, as he is 100% Norwegian) LOVED IT! So did my Mom, my husband and 19 year old son! This is one kick ass salad!
Thanks Nagi!
Barbra! How wonderful! Thank you so much for coming back to let me know you loved it!! I’m especially glad your dad loved it….and even your teenage son! Wow, that’s amazing! 🙂
OMG Nagi, THANK YOU so much for posting this salad!!! It is DELICIOUS! I’ve always loved Chinese chicken salad and stupidly have never made it, I will be making this probably once a week now!!
And yes Dozer is beyond adorable! But seriously he doesn’t get any spillage? Poor guy!
Can you imagine how annoying he would be if I started giving him food from the table? Yikes!! 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! It’s delish isn’t it? 🙂 I do think it’s the dressing that “makes” it! N x
Nagi, your dog is adorable! And oh my gosh, I’ve been meaning to buy the Momofuku cookbook for the longest time! Crunchy noodles in a Chinese salad are the best. Definitely need to give this a try soon!
Hi Lisa!! The book is awesome 🙂 there are some crazy things in there I will never make (OMG, the wings are the most complicated ever!) but 70% of the things in there are totally makable for normal people. And it’s worth it just to get his classics!!
Good salad! Here in the US I see versions of this in restaurants — but never in Asian ones! It’s a big hit in the sort of restaurant that ladies who lunch tend to favor. No matter — good salad. So I’ll order it sometimes even though I always feel I’m not really the target market. 😉
Oh John, I always order things even if I’m not the target market. Like a huge rack of ribs. No dainty salads for me!! 🙂
I have stopped saying “my diet starts on Monday” now I just say I will start next month”. That way I only need to come up with 12 excuses as to why I haven’t started instead of 52 😉
This salad looks yummy, the colours are beautiful. Oh and those noodles, I love those crunchy noodles.
Pinning this 🙂
HA!! OK, I have a new line!! You made me giggle out loud at that – love it!!
I so love my Salads, but don’t make nearly enough of them! They HAVE to be the kind I can Scoff down and crunchy noodles is my weak point!! 😀 I used to have crunchy noodles salads (you know the kind they sell at Woolies!) and never realized how much I missed them until I saw this!! Now I have to go looking for them here!
That dressing?? WOW! Absolutely love the flavours there too… Can’t wait to make it!
Thanks Dini!! I can’t take credit for the salad, I just adapted a David Chang recipe!! 🙂
I am totally with you on the whole salad thing (and starting of the diet thing too). I have a few on my blog (I think I can count them on one hand) because I am picky, and my guy is even pickier! This one looks like it would totally fit the bill for what we would both enjoy though 🙂 and since I have been making myself (UGH) work out every day to fight this whole over 50 body change thing (excuse me, who signed me up for this crap?) a good salad might be what I need!!
* Snort! * You think I didn’t notice the lack of salads on your blog? It’s why we’re friends! 🙂 Besides, who in HK has a SALAD as a meal?!