Chinese Chicken Salad is the best of all salads. It’s packed with lettuce, carrots, and poached chicken. The dressing is sweet and tangy Asian inspired. The whole family will enjoy this delicious side dish or light meal.
For example, this Chinese Chicken Salad takes only 30 minutes to prepare, but it tastes like hours of hard work. Every bite of this Asian-inspired salad is a celebration in your mouth. It’s loaded with lettuce, carrots, and edamame.
Ingredient notes
- Veggies: I use a mixture of iceberg lettuce and shredded red cabbage. You can swap Romaine, napa, green onions, or any other green salad mix for your choice.
- Chicken – I love poached chicken breasts, but you can also grill or rotisserie chicken. Remove the bones and shred them or chop them into small pieces.
- Crispy wonton strips- You can buy packaged crispy wontons at your local supermarket or make them yourself! You can also make crunchy chow mein noodles at most grocery stores.
- Optional Add-Ins: You can add almond slivers or mandarin oranges to give them a fruity taste.
Asian sesame salad dressing
- To save time, you can either use your favorite Asian salad dressing or make it from scratch using simple pantry ingredients.
- Mix the rice vinegar, sesame oil, and chili garlic sauce. Add the brown sugar and grated ginger to an airtight container. Refrigerate until ready for use.
- It is possible to make it ahead and keep it in the fridge for three days.
How to make crispy fried wontons?
- Oil with high smoke points and a neutral taste, such as peanut or safflower oil, is best. To get the best results, heat oil to 350 F to 325 F. Cook in batches if necessary.
- The wonton wrappers should be cut into strips approximately 1/4 inch thick. Cover the wonton wrappers with a towel or cloth to prevent them from drying.
- Then, drop the strips into the hot oil. To ensure that the strips don’t stick together, move them around in the pot with a spoon or spider.
- You can remove the fried wontons from your pan if they are a shade lighter than you would like. They will continue to brown in the residual heat and then crisp up when they cool.
- Let cool on a wire rack.
- You can make them a day ahead of time. Keep them at room temperature in an airtight container.
Poaching chicken breasts is my favorite method of cooking. This cooks the meat lightly and makes it tender. Follow the simple steps below.
- Combine chicken, salt, and sufficient water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Remove any scum from the top.
- Once the water has boiled, reduce the heat and cover the pot. Let the chicken simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the meat turns opaque. A thermometer placed in the thickest portion of the heart should read 165°F.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the saucepan and place it in the refrigerator until it is completely cooled. Chop or shred the chicken.
- You can make it ahead of time; keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Serving suggestions
- Chinese chicken salad is excellent as a meal starter or a main course.
- To preserve the best texture, prepare the vegetables, chicken, fried wontons, and dressing ahead of time.
Chinese Chicken Salad
Chinese Chicken Salad is the best of all salads. It’s packed with lettuce, carrots, and poached chicken. The dressing is sweet and tangy Asian inspired. The whole family will enjoy this delicious side dish or light meal.
Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 head of iceberg lettuce torn
- Red cabbage, 1/4 cup, shredded
- 1 large carrot, peeled & julienned
- 1/2 cup edamame
- 1 pack (12 ounces) of wonton wrappers. Cut into thin strips
- 1/4 cup canola oil
Dressing
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 1 thumb-sized ginger, peeled & grated
- 2 tablespoons sesame oils
Instructions
- Combine chicken, salt, and sufficient water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Remove any scum from the top.
- Once the water has boiled, reduce the heat and cover the pot. Let the chicken simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the chicken is opaque. A thermometer placed in the thickest portion of the meat should read 165°F.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the saucepan and place it in the refrigerator to cool completely. Chop the chicken into small pieces.
- Heat oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add the wonton strips in batches. Fry for approximately 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, or until golden. Use a slotted spoon to remove the wontons from the oil. Drain on paper towels. When they cool, the wonton strips will become crisp.
- In a large bowl, combine chicken, lettuce, and red cabbage with carrots. Garnish with fried wonton strips and drizzle dressing just before serving. Mix gently.
For the Dressing
- Combine rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a bowl. Add sugar, chili garlic sauce, and ginger. Mix until smooth.
Notes
- You can remove the fried wontons from your pan if they are a shade lighter than you would like. They will continue to brown in the residual heat and then crisp up when they cool.
- You can also use grilled or rotisserie chicken in this recipe. Remove the bones and shred or chop the chicken.
- You can also substitute wonton strips for crunchy chow mein noodles, which are available at most grocery shops.
- You can add almond slivers or mandarin oranges to give them a fruity taste.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 476kcal. Carbohydrates and Protein: 61g. Fat: 13g. Saturated Fat 1g. Cholesterol is 55 mg. Sodium: 1407mg. Potassium 666mg. Fiber: 4g. Vitamin A: 2575IU. Vitamin C: 24.8mg. Calcium: 90mg. Iron: 4mg.
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