This Chinese chicken salad is wonderfully flavorful. You can make it in advance and refrigerate it until you're ready to serve it. I like to make a big batch and enjoy it over a few days. It's perfect for lunch or as a light weeknight dinner.
This salad is so good! The dressing, based on sesame oil and soy sauce with a hint of garlic and ginger, is phenomenal. I also love the crunch provided by the shredded cabbage. I love main-dish salads you can make ahead of time, such as taco salad, Thai chicken salad, and chicken Cobb salad. When I anticipate a busy week, I make a big batch of this salad on Sunday and have ready-made meals for several days.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
For the Salad:
- Shredded cooked chicken: I use pre-cooked chicken breasts.
- Shredded green cabbage: Adds a wonderful crunch. To make life easy, I often use a bag of coleslaw mix that includes shredded carrots, red cabbage, and green cabbage.
- Sliced green onions: I only use the green parts. They add color and flavor. Mix them into the salad or sprinkle them on top for a pretty presentation.
For the Sesame Dressing:
- Sesame oil: I like to use toasted sesame oil. It's so flavorful!
- Minced garlic and ginger: I don't recommend using garlic or ginger powders. They're not as flavorful.
- Red pepper flakes: They don't make the salad truly spicy. They merely add an extra layer of flavor.
Variations
- Some recipes call for canned mandarin oranges, but I'm not fond of fruit in savory salads. I also don't add grapes to my keto chicken salad. But feel free to add ¼ cup of them if you wish.
- You can skip the crunchy noodles often added to these salads. The cabbage provides plenty of crunch. If you'd like extra crunch, add ¼ cup of slivered almonds.
- Instead of shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix, you can use broccoli slaw.
- If you enjoy spicy foods, increase the amount of red pepper flakes. Start with ½ teaspoon and taste. You can always add more.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
In a large bowl, toss together the shredded chicken, shredded cabbage, and sliced green onions (or reserve the green onions and sprinkle them on top of the salad after it's ready).
In a small bowl or jar, mix the dressing ingredients. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
Cover and refrigerate for one hour to allow the flavor to meld. Toss again before serving.
This salad was perfect. I followed the recipe exactly, didn't change a thing. Served it in lettuce wraps. Hubby said this is better than what you'd get at a restaurant! Thank you for this delicious recipe.
Barb
Read more comments
This salad was perfect. I followed the recipe exactly, didn't change a thing. Served it in lettuce wraps. Hubby said this is better than what you'd get at a restaurant! Thank you for this delicious recipe.Recipe Tips
- One of the best things about this salad is that you can make it in advance and refrigerate it. In fact, it tastes better as the flavors are allowed to meld, so it's best to make it a few hours before you plan on serving it.
- If you don't have rice vinegar, it's OK to use white wine vinegar instead. I don't recommend using plain distilled vinegar. It's too acidic.
- If you need to cook the chicken, you can use one of these recipes: Baked chicken breast, grilled chicken breast, poached chicken, or broiled chicken breast.
Recipe FAQs
This is a Chinese-American fusion dish. I've been to China in the 1990s, and I was never served this type of salad. However, it's inspired by Chinese flavors and ingredients and is very good!
Yes, absolutely. Just make sure to remove the skin.
Yes. But I use just a tablespoon, and I like how it balances out the other flavors.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. But remember to start counting on the day the chicken was cooked. I don't recommend freezing this salad.
Serving Suggestions
Much like no-mayo chicken salad and avocado chicken salad, this is a main dish salad. It contains chicken and vegetables and is substantial and filling.
Of course, it's the perfect lunch. But I also like serving it for dinner, especially in the summer when I don't feel like cooking.
There's no need to serve this salad with sides. Just serve a bowl of it for a tasty, satisfying meal. It goes perfectly with a refreshing glass of cucumber water or iced tea!
Recipe Card
Chinese Chicken Salad with Sesame Dressing
Video
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds chicken breasts - cooked and shredded
- 12 ounces coleslaw mix - or ½ green cabbage, shredded
- ⅓ cup green onions - thinly sliced, green part only; 2 ounces
Dressing:
- 4 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce - or a gluten-free alternative
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic - minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root - minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Garnish:
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Use your hands to shred the chicken breasts. Place the chicken pieces in a very large mixing bowl.
- Add the shredded cabbage and the green onions and toss everything together.
- In a small jar, add the dressing ingredients. Shake well to mix. You can also whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
- Cover and refrigerate for one hour to allow the flavors to meld. Toss again before serving and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Notes
- If you need to cook the chicken, you can follow this recipe for baked chicken breasts.
- One of the best things about this salad is that you can make it in advance and refrigerate it. In fact, it tastes better as the flavors are allowed to meld, so it's best to make it a few hours before you plan on serving it.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. But remember to start counting on the day the chicken was cooked. I don't recommend freezing this salad.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Magda says
I made this as well. It was perfect for a light dinner on a hot summer day. As usual, thank you for being precise and thorough in your recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Magda! This is a huge favorite in my house during the summer.
barb says
This salad was perfect. I followed the recipe exactly, didn't change a thing. Served it in lettuce wraps. Hubby said this is better than what you'd get at a restaurant! Thank you for this delicious recipe.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm glad you and your husband enjoyed this recipe, Barb! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.