• About
  • Browse Recipes
  • Recipe Index

Main Navigation

  • Recipe Index
  • About

The Forked Spoon

Eat Healthy • Adventure Often

  • Browse Recipes
  • Breakfast
  • Salads
  • Soups
  • Sides
  • Dinners
  • Desserts
  • By Diet

Home » Salads » Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe

Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon Jessica Randhawa
July 23, 2020
4.86 from 74 votes


Last Updated July 23, 2020 | 4 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

12.8K shares
jump to recipe
chinese chicken salad pinterest pin image
chinese chicken salad pinterest pin image
chinese chicken salad pinterest pin image
chinese chicken salad pinterest pin image

This Chinese Chicken Salad is fresh, crisp, crunchy, and a million times healthier and more delicious than your favorite restaurant. Made with juicy shredded chicken, fried wontons, mixed greens, and the very best homemade Asian sesame vinaigrette, enjoy this easy chicken salad as a satisfying lunch or light and refreshing dinner. 

Small white salad bowls filled with chinese chicken salad and topped with fried wonton noodles.

Easy Chinese Chicken Salad

The Chinese Chicken Salad, also known as, Oriental Chicken Salad or Asian Chicken Salad, is a popular entree salad served throughout the United States. Despite a name implying that it has its origins from China, it is, in fact, a melting pot of ideas, recipes, and ingredients believed to have originated in California at a restaurant called Madame Wu’s in Santa Monica.

The first time that I ever ate a Chinese Chicken Salad was at The Cheesecake Factory well over a decade ago. Piled so high with crispy rice noodles, I didn’t understand how one person could eat a salad so big (yet, I did, and have many many times).

Typically made with ingredients such as lettuce, cabbage, chicken, and some kind of fried wonton or rice noodle, the ingredients may range from simple to complex depending on restaurant and preference.

With the dressing ingredients heavily influenced by Asian flavors, in this vinaigrette, you’ll find things like sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic.

You guys, this is one of those unexpectedly easy-to-make, amazing salads. You do not need to spend twenty dollars to make your Chinese chicken salad dreams come true – promise!

And while it may look just ok on the outside, just take a bite… The crunch combined with the mouthwateringly good vinaigrette, you won’t ever want to stop eating.

Large bowl filled with cabbage, lettuce, edamame, carrots, shredded chicken, scallions, and red cabbage.

Chinese Chicken Salad Ingredients

The most important ingredients in a Chinese chicken salad include, 

  • Cabbage
  • Lettuce
  • Green onions (scallions)
  • Fried wontons
  • Cilantro
  • Chicken

I always include green cabbage because it’s crunchy, sturdy, and it is the perfect green for meal prepping. The trick is shredding it super thin so that you don’t get big fat bites of raw cabbage (unless you’re into that).

I also love mixing crunchy cabbage with some Romaine. It adds a different crunchy texture. One thing to note is that it does not stay fresh and crisp for more than a couple of days (without dressing). So if you plan to meal-prep a big bag of Chinese chicken salad for the week, maybe keep the Romaine in a separate baggy.

Finally, I know some of you don’t care for cilantro. That’s ok. Just leave it out.

Other delicious goodies you can add, mix, and combine to make your very own Chinese Chicken Salad recipe-

  • Shredded carrots
  • Shelled edamame
  • Slivered almonds
  • Peanuts
  • Sugar snap peas
  • Cucumber
  • Mandarin oranges
  • Bell Pepper
  • Avocado

Asian Sesame Vinaigrette Ingredients

  • Toasted sesame oil
  • Rice wine vinegar
  • Grapeseed oil
  • Fresh ginger
  • Fresh Garlic
  • Sugar
  • Soy Sauce
  • Sesame seeds

When shopping for sesame oil at your local grocery store, make sure to purchase toasted sesame oil, not regular untoasted sesame oil, which is much lighter and yellow in color. Sesame oil is quite flavorful, so start with less and add more as needed.

Small glass jar filled with homemade Asian sesame vinaigrette.

Round spoon scooping out Asian sesame dressing from a small glass jar.

Tips & Tricks

  • I love to prepare this salad in bulk. It’s amazing for meal prep lunches and leftover dinners. The best way to do this is to decide which vegetables you want in your salad and set aside approximately 45 minutes to get everything together. Yes, it’s a lot of chopping, and depending on how fast you are, it may take more or less time, but it’s totally worth it!
  • Use a salad spinner to wash and dry your greens. Salad spinners are AMAZING! Especially if you want to prepare chopped greens in bulk (since soggy lettuce and herbs are no good).
  • Store the cabbage in one container, the lettuce, green onion, and cilantro in a second container, the chicken in a third, and finally all the others (carrots, edamame, etc) in a fourth.
  • Make this salad gluten-free by swapping the soy sauce for gluten-free Tamari and leave out the fried wonton noodles and chow mein noodles.
  • Make extra vinaigrette. It keeps for up to two weeks in the refrigerator and it is crazy good as a marinade.

RELATED >> Asian Pasta Salad Recipe with Chicken

Ingredients for chinese chicken salad tossed together in a large bowl.

More Asian-Inspired Recipes,

Easy Korean Beef Bibimbap Recipe (Mixed Rice)

Pho Recipe- How to Make Vietnamese Noodle Soup

How to Make Bubble Tea (Bubble Tea Recipe)

Kung Pao Chicken Recipe

If you try making this Chinese Chicken Salad, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.

Small white salad bowls filled with chinese chicken salad and topped with fried wonton noodles.

REMEMBER TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE FORKED SPOON NEWSLETTER FOR FREE AND RECEIVE WEEKLY RECIPE NOTIFICATIONS DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX!

If you try a recipe, please share it using the hashtag #theforkedspoon or by tagging @theforkedspoon.

Small white salad bowls filled with chinese chicken salad and topped with fried wonton noodles.

Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe

4.86 from 74 votes
Chef: Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa
Fresh, crisp, and crunchy, this Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe is a mix of juicy shredded chicken, fried wontons, mixed greens, and the very best homemade Asian sesame vinaigrette. 
Feel free to add a mix of all your favorite veggies and save on cooking time using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken from the night before.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Course Main Course, Salad
Cuisine American, Asian, Chinese
Servings 6 servings
Calories 430 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

For the Salad Dressing:

  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • ⅓ cup rice wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup grapeseed oil - (or canola oil)
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 clove garlic - minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger - grated
  • 1 tablespoon sugar - optional
  • ½ teaspoon fresh black pepper
  • salt - to taste
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

For the Salad:

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 4 cups romaine lettuce - shredded
  • 4 cups Napa cabbage - shredded
  • 1 cup red cabbage - shredded
  • 1 cup cilantro - chopped
  • 6 green onions - chopped
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 2 cups edamame
  • ¼ cup slivered almonds
  • ½ cup crispy chow mein noodles
  • ½ cup fried wonton noodles (fried wonton strips)
  • 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the vinaigrette. Add all ingredients for the dressing to a medium-sized jar and secure with a tight fitting lid. Shake vigorously until fully combined. Season to taste and set aside until ready to use.
  • Poach the chicken. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the chicken and return the water to a rolling boil. Remove from heat, cover, and set aside to "poach" (cook) for approximately 20-25 minutes. Carefully remove chicken from the pot and set aside to cool before shredding (see notes if you prefer not to poach chicken).
  • Prepare the salad. Add all of the ingredients for the salad, including the shredded chicken, to a large bowl. Gently mix to combine.
  • Serve. Drizzle the salad with vinaigrette, mixing well to evenly combine. Or, serve the salad in individual bowls and drizzle each bowl with the desired amount of vinaigrette.

Jessica's Notes

  • The easiest way to work with ginger is to carefully cut away the skin with a paring knife and then grate approximately 1/2-inch piece on a Microplane Grater. 
  • Feel free to replace the poached chicken with pre-cooked chicken including leftover baked chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken. You will want approximately 2-3 cups of cooked, shredded chicken.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 566mg | Potassium: 1035mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 6640IU | Vitamin C: 10.6mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 3.2mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword Asian Chicken Salad, Chinese Chicken Salad, Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe
Did You Make This Recipe? Tag it Today!Mention @theforkedspoon or tag #theforkedspoon and please leave your star rating in the comment section below.

Originally published in 2016 and updated with new images, post text, and recipe on March 24, 2019. Updated again on July 23, 2020.

About Jessica

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

12.8K shares
Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

About Jessica Randhawa

Jessica Randhawa is the head chef, photographer, and recipe developer of The Forked Spoon. Jessica fell in love with cooking while traveling through Asia and Europe, where she discovered her passion for good food and new adventures. Her recipes have been featured on Yahoo, MSN, USA Today, FeedFeed, and many more. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California.

Comments

  1. Deb says

    June 19, 2022 at 3:05 pm

    5 stars
    Dear Jessica;
    I’ve made this salad regularly for some years now—-in fact am making a triple recipe of the dressing at this moment. Will marinate chicken pieces and this will be my dinner each time I feel like it this week (which is often, in hot weather). Thank you!

    Reply
    • Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa says

      June 19, 2022 at 8:43 pm

      Thanks for the great feedback, Deb 😀

      Reply
  2. Natalia says

    April 15, 2020 at 5:59 am

    5 stars
    When you make a recipe that serves 6 but end up eating it in 3… SO delicious!

    Reply
    • Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked SpoonJessica Randhawa says

      April 15, 2020 at 8:19 am

      Thanks for the kind feedback Natalia, I am glad you found it delicious 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

I’m Jessica! Aka mom, wife, chef, and travel-obsessed photographer. Welcome to The Forked Spoon. Here you can browse hundreds of incredible family-friendly recipes covering dozens of diets, courses, and cuisines. Learn more about me.

Reader Favorites

  • Perfect, clear, beef bone broth in a large stockpot. Bone Broth Recipe (How to Make Bone Broth)
  • Acai bowl topped with fresh fruit and granola. Acai Bowl Recipe – How to Make Your Own Acai Bowl
  • A close up of a bowl Chimichurri Chimichurri Recipe (How to Make Chimichurri Sauce)
  • White bowl filled with homemade chicken soup. The Best Chicken Soup Recipe
  • Bok Choy being cooked in a wok with a spoonful of garlic sauce 10 Minute Garlic Bok Choy Recipe
  • Large white oval serving dish filled with homemade classic macaroni salad garnished with a light dusting of paprika and fresh chopped parsley. Macaroni Salad
Logo of The Forked Spoon by Jessica Randhawa
The Forked Spoon has been featured on Yahoo, CountryLiving, MSN, Cosmopolitan, USA Today, and Parade
  • About
  • Browse Recipes
  • Contact
  • Accessibility Statement

Copyright © 2023 · The Forked Spoon LLC • Disclosure