Chinese Chicken Salad

Here's an overview of the ingredients needed to make this salad. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below.

For the Salad:

• Shredded cooked chicken: I use pre-cooked chicken breasts. You can use baked chicken breast, grilled chicken breast, or broiled chicken breast. You can also use rotisserie chicken. Just make sure to remove the skin.
• Shredded green cabbage: Adds a wonderful crunch to the salad. 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:

• Soy sauce: I use reduced-sodium soy sauce in most of my recipes. You can also use a gluten-free alternative.
• Sesame oil: I like to use toasted sesame oil. It's so flavorful!
• Rice vinegar: If you don't have any on hand, it's OK to use white wine vinegar instead. I don't recommend using plain distilled vinegar. It's too acidic.
• Honey: Just one tablespoon to balance out the other flavors. You can omit this ingredient if you wish.
• Minced garlic and ginger: You can mince them by yourself or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Freshly minced will taste better. 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.

Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this salad:

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.

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.

Much like no-mayo chicken salad and avocado chicken salad, this is a main-dish salad. It has chicken and vegetables, and it's very substantial and filling.

It's the perfect lunch, of course. 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!