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by Stephanie on August 6, 2023 (Updated January 23, 2024)18*This post may contain affiliate links. Read more »
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This Chinese Chicken Salad has the BEST homemade dressing and is easy to make with fresh lettuce, cabbage, chicken, and crispy toppings! This is truly a restaurant-worthy recipe.
Be sure to try my Egg Roll in a Bowl and Korean Beef Bowl recipes next!
Chinese Chicken Salad
There is something so exciting about ordering Chinese Chicken Salad at a restaurant, but it’s evenmoreexciting that you can make an exact replica at home!
The easy homemade dressing makes this dish! And the best part is that you don’t have to turn on your oven or stove to make this! Simply use leftover or rotisserie chicken, some fresh cabbage, lettuce, carrots, and your favorite crunchy toppings!
This is also easy to make ahead of time and serve to guests or bring to a potluck– you will WOW your family and friends with this one!
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Ingredients:Nappa cabbage, iceberg lettuce, chicken, carrots, mandarin oranges, green onions, sliced almonds, chow mein noodles, wonton strips, and toasted sesame seeds.
Instructions: Arrange cabbage and lettuce on a serving platter and drizzle with a little dressing. Top with chicken, carrots, oranges, and green onions. Drizzle with more dressing and top with crispy toppings. Serve with remaining dressing on the side.
Pro Tips
- Crunchy Toppings: I use La Choy Chow Mein Noodles and Mee Tu Chinese Noodles, both found in the Asian aisle at the grocery store. Typically these are more economical than purchasing salad toppers from the produce section.
- Make sure your sesame seeds are roasted/toasted for ultimate flavor. (You can do this yourself in a skillet over medium heat if needed, it takes just a few minutes.)
- Nuts: Other delicious nut options include honey roasted peanuts, cashews, or walnuts!
- Hoisin Sauce: I use Sun Luck brand, it’s good!
- Add-ons: Other great additions include goat cheese, avocado, red cabbage, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, baby corn, shrimp, and bell peppers.
- Crispy Chicken: Feel free to make this recipe with my Fried Chicken Tenders!
Storage
- Tossed salad is best if eaten fresh, especially if the crunchy toppings have been added.
- Salad ingredients can be prepared and stored separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days before being tossed and served. Shake dressing prior to serving.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- Salad Serving Platters
- Salad Servers
- Cutting Boards
- Salad Dressing Shaker or Mini Food Processor
- Salad Dressing Containers– lunch sizes for on-the-go!
Try These Next
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Teriyaki Chicken
- Beef and Broccoli Ramen
- Ramen Noodle Salad
- Chickpea Salad
- Hot Honey Chicken
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Chinese Chicken Salad
Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
5 from 8 ratings
Servings: 4 people
Tap or hover to scale
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This Chinese Chicken Salad has the BEST homemade dressing and is easy to make with fresh lettuce, cabbage, chicken, and crispy toppings!
Ingredients
US Customary - Metric
Salad
- 4 cups Napa cabbage, shredded
- 3 cups Iceberg lettuce, chopped
- 2 ½ cups cooked chicken, diced
- 1 cup carrots, julienned
- 11 oz. mandarin oranges, drained and patted dry
- 1/3 cup green onions, diced
- ½ cup chow mein noodles
- ½ cup crispy wonton strips
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil, can sub avocado, vegetable, or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon peanut butter, optional
- ¾ teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
Combine salad dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake very well to combine. (A mini food processor may also be used.) Refrigerate while you prepare remaining ingredients.
Arrange cabbage and lettuce on a serving platter or in large bowl and drizzle with a little dressing.
Top with chicken, carrots, oranges, and green onions. Drizzle with more dressing and top with almonds, chow mein noodles, wonton strips, and sesame seeds. Serve with remaining dressing on the side.
Notes
Pro Tips
- Crunchy Toppings: I use La Choy Chow Mein Noodles and Mee Tu Chinese Noodles, both found in the Asian aisle at the grocery store. Typically these are more economical than purchasing salad toppers from the produce section.
- Make sure your sesame seeds are roasted/toasted for ultimate flavor. (You can do this yourself in a skillet over medium heat if needed, it takes just a few minutes.)
- Nuts: Other delicious nut options include honey roasted peanuts, cashews, or walnuts!
- Hoisin Sauce: I use Sun Luck brand, it's good!
- Add-ons: Other great additions include goat cheese, avocado, red cabbage, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, baby corn, shrimp, and bell peppers.
- Crispy Chicken: Feel free to make this recipe with my Fried Chicken Tenders!
Storage
- Tossed salad is best if eaten fresh, especially if the crunchy toppings have been added.
- Salad ingredients can be prepared and stored separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days before being tossed and served. Shake dressing prior to serving.
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 4 servings in this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 426kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 66mg, Sodium: 704mg, Potassium: 502mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 5737IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 61mg, Iron: 3mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!
Course: Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: American, Chinese
Author: Stephanie
30 Minute Meals Chicken Recipes Dinner Healthy Our Favorite Recipes Salad Summer Recipes Takeout Recipes
posted by Stephanie on August 6, 2023 — 18 Comments »
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Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe
18 comments on “Chinese Chicken Salad”
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Julie Owens — April 2, 2024 @ 11:59 pm Reply
Superb!!!
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Stephanie — April 3, 2024 @ 8:17 am Reply
Thanks Julie!❤️
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Jodie — January 30, 2024 @ 11:27 pm Reply
Once again, another great recipe Stephanie! I’m going to be making it for a dinner party. What would your recommend serving with it?
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Stephanie — January 31, 2024 @ 10:48 am Reply
Hi Jodie! I’m so glad that you loved it and plan on serving it to guests!! This is my collection of takeout recipes, many of which would pair well with this (including beef or chicken or shrimp fried rice!) You can also check out my soup recipes, my homemade ramen might be a good contender 🙂 You can also check out my entire recipe index by category here. I hope that helps!
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Amy Smith — September 18, 2023 @ 7:24 am Reply
I saw a salad like this and tried to copy it on my own.
Yours beats anything I could have dreamed of. Especially the dressing.
Soooooo good.
Your work is well appreciated. Thank you-
Stephanie — September 18, 2023 @ 8:25 am Reply
I’m so happy you liked it Amy! Thanks so much for your support, it’s much appreciated!💖
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Coffee — August 27, 2023 @ 5:46 pm Reply
The dressing is so delicious! I put it on rice noodles. Will try it as a salad too. I wanted noodles for lunch and saw your recipe ingredients and had to try it. Yummy!
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Stephanie — August 27, 2023 @ 8:33 pm Reply
I’m so happy you found this one had a great lunch! Thanks so much for the great review!💖
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Merrick Wells — August 23, 2023 @ 8:22 am Reply
Made this Chinese Chicken salad and was a big hit. Simple to make and enjoyed the additional add ins which helped.
Great job Cozy cook in suggesting this great summer recipe.
Keep Charging!!
Happy in Wisconsin.
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Stephanie — August 23, 2023 @ 9:26 am Reply
Thanks so much Merrick, I’m so happy you liked this one! I’ve made it a couple of times because we love snacking on it. Thanks for the great review!💕
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Whitney L — August 13, 2023 @ 1:26 pm Reply
Looks so yummy! Do you have a favorite bottled brand of dressing? Looking to make this but make it easier for travel for feeding a crowd. Thanks !!
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Stephanie — August 13, 2023 @ 1:35 pm Reply
PF Changs makes a creamy sesame dressing that I bet would be good on this! (It’s sold in grocery stores!) But there are a lot of options to check out, a lot of them look good!
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Kate W. — August 9, 2023 @ 7:24 pm Reply
OMG this use to be my go-to salad in restaurants every time I went! There’s something about all the crunch combined with that sweet and savory dressing that I absolutely LOVEEEEE. But I haven’t had it in so long! I forgot about it so I absolutely HAD to make it when I saw your recipe posted. The dressing is everything!!! Over-the-top delicious and those chow mein noodles are so addicting. I literally ate the rest of the can after I ate all my salad. I’m going to stock up because I think I’ll be making this all the time going forward. My husband just better like it! (He hasn’t tried it yet). Thanks for another great recipe!
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Stephanie — August 9, 2023 @ 9:32 pm Reply
This was always my go to as well Kate! I’m so happy you enjoyed this version. I think your husband will approve 😉. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and review!💖
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Gillian — August 9, 2023 @ 8:32 am Reply
I made this using red leaf lettuce and some leftover red cabbage, with all the recommended toppings, except the bean sprouts. I love them, but the e-coli risk (no way to really wash them) has me swearing off for good. I do miss their fresh taste, still.
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Stephanie — August 9, 2023 @ 9:44 am Reply
I’m so happy you enjoyed this with red leaf lettuce Gillian, yummm! Thanks so much for the great review!💖
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Danielle — August 7, 2023 @ 7:22 pm Reply
I wonder could I make a bigger batch of salad dressing and store it in a container and use it as needed? Single mama with a picky child but I’d love this!
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Stephanie — August 7, 2023 @ 7:24 pm Reply
Absolutely, yes!! The only thing I’d do is use 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder instead of fresh garlic. The dressing should last for a long time, just shake before serving! Good thinking Danielle!
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