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I’m pretty sure the first time I ever tasted a Chinese Chicken Salad was at a California Pizza Kitchen restaurant in Los Angeles. It was jaw-droppingly delicious, with a sweet, gingery dressing.
Since we no longer have that restaurant in our area, I’ve been determined to make a copycat recipe. My first few attempts were not worth repeating, but I’ve finally figured out a delicious dressing— and this one doesn’t contain excess oil or refined sugar.
If you’re tracking macros, you can customize the amount of chicken you add on top, as well as the crunchy toppings. I prefer to use sliced almonds instead of fried wontons or noodles, but you can add any option you love.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“Easy to make and take for lunch at work! Love this dressing!”
-Molly
Chinese Chicken Salad Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Veggies. You’ll need cabbage, carrots, green onions, and fresh cilantro. I recommend shredding your own veggies for the best texture, but you can grab a bag of coleslaw mix for convenience.
- Chicken. Shredded chicken is a traditional topping for this popular restaurant salad. You can use baked chicken breasts or leftover rotisserie chicken. Or, try a different protein, such as shrimp or baked tofu. It’s easy to customize!
- Oils. A combination of olive oil and toasted sesame oil works together in this dressing, but you won’t use nearly as much as a traditional recipe calls for.
- Rice Vinegar. This type of vinegar pairs well with ginger and garlic, but you can use another type of vinegar, such as apple cider, if needed.
- Peanut Butter. Adds creaminess and a hint of flavor. You can use almond butter if you prefer.
- Almonds. The perfect crunchy topping, without relying on fried wontons or ramen noodles. Another nut or seed could be swapped, if needed.
Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe
Step 1:
To assemble the dressing, combine the vinegar, oils, tamari, peanut butter, honey, ginger, garlic, salt, and black pepper.
Use a microplane to finely mince the garlic and ginger directly into the glass jar. This will give you finer pieces that blend in seamlessly with the dressing. Use a small whisk or spoon to stir thoroughly, ensuring you scrape the bottom of the jar.
Once the honey has totally dissolved into the dressing, set it aside.
Make-Ahead Tip: You can prepare the dressing up to 3 days in advance if you’d like to incorporate this into your meal prep routine. Use a mason jar for mixing or any other airtight container with a lid.
Step 2:
Next, prepare the salad ingredients. You can use napa cabbage, green cabbage, or red cabbage for this salad. Be sure to use only 1 pound of this for the amount of dressing prepared. (This is about half of a medium-sized head of cabbage.)
Use a sharp knife to shred the cabbage finely. The thinner the pieces are, the more pleasant they will be to eat. For convenience, you can also use store-bought shredded coleslaw mix.
Next, shred a large carrot and chop two green onions. You’ll also need to chop a handful of fresh cilantro. (If you think cilantro tastes like soap, feel free to skip this step, but I find it helps the flavor.)
Add the cabbage, carrots, green onions, and cilantro to a large bowl. Shake the dressing well, then pour it over the veggies. Toss well until all of the vegetables are coated.
Step 3:
Let the salad marinate in the dressing for 5 minutes.
Next, add the sliced almonds and shredded chicken. (I use a baked chicken breast.) Toss again, then adjust any flavoring to taste. You may want to add a pinch of salt to boost the flavor.
Serving and Storage Tips
Garnish with sesame seeds and enjoy. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
The cabbage will become slightly soggier overnight, but it still has a great crunch and flavor. Stir well before serving to ensure the dressing is evenly distributed.
Chinese Chicken Salad (High-Protein Recipe)
Ingredients
Chinese Chicken Salad Dressing
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
- 1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger , finely grated
- fine sea salt and black pepper
Salad Assembly
- 1 pound cabbage , shredded
- 1 large carrot , shredded
- 2 green onions , chopped
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro , chopped
- ¼ cup sliced almonds (optional; for crunch)
- 1 pound cooked chicken breasts , chopped or shredded
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a small jar with a lid, combine the vinegar, toasted sesame oil, olive oil (if using), tamari, honey, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, and a 1/4 teaspoon each of fine sea salt and ground black pepper. Stir well until the honey has dissolved. (It may stick to the bottom of the jar, so take care to scrape that area well.) Set it aside until you're ready to use it.
- In a large bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, carrot, green onion, and cilantro. Drizzle the dressing over the veggies and toss well. Let this marinate for 5 minutes.
- Add the shredded chicken and sliced almonds and toss again. Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top as a garnish. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. (The salad will wilt slightly, but the cabbage remains surprisingly crunchy. Stir well before serving again.)
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
If you try this Chinese Chicken Salad recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how you like it.
Delicious with tofu!
A pound of chicken and a cup of quinoa sounds like the serving size should be for 4 people instead of 2.
Is that correct? It sounds delicious and I’d like to try it especially if it is for 4 servings at 290 calories.
5⭐️
Thank you so much. I don’t eat meat so I think I’m going to try shredded tofu.
Easy to make and take for lunch at work! Love this dressing!
I just made this and I loved it. I added red peppers to the salad and also some chia seeds. I used ground turkey that I had seasoned with an Asian dressing for my protein. Thank you so much!