Chinese Chicken Salad

There’s something undeniably satisfying about a crunchy, colorful salad that’s bursting with flavor, and this Chinese Chicken Salad recipe is all that and more. Juicy chicken breasts, sweet mandarin oranges, crispy wonton strips, and a tangy ginger Dijon dressing come together to create a fresh, vibrant dish that’s equally perfect for meal prep or feeding a hungry crowd.

This isn’t your average takeout side salad. With bright, zesty flavors and a satisfying mix of textures, it’s a full-on main course that feels indulgent but is secretly pretty light and healthy. It’s one of those recipes you’ll find yourself coming back to again and again – for weeknight dinners, potlucks, and even picnic season.

Cook’s Notes

• Make-ahead friendly: Both the dressing and salad components can be prepped ahead of time, making this ideal for entertaining or meal prep. Just toss right before serving.
• Big flavor, low effort: The tangy ginger Dijon vinaigrette is a flavor bomb that comes together in just minutes with pantry staples.
• Perfect for leftover chicken: Don’t want to cook chicken from scratch? Rotisserie or grilled leftovers work beautifully here.
• Great balance of texture and taste: The sweetness of the oranges, the crunch of the wontons, and the creaminess of the dressing hit all the right notes.
• Light but filling: Thanks to lean protein and fiber-rich veggies, this salad satisfies without weighing you down.

Ingredients you’ll need

Here’s a quick rundown of the essentials to make this asian chicken salad:

• Crispy wonton strips – Store-bought or homemade (lightly baked for maximum crunch)
• Chicken breast – cooked tender chicken is sliced, shredded, or chopped. You can also sub leftover rotisserie chicken
• Soy sauce – for the chicken marinade
• Toasted Sesame oil – adds depth of flavor to the chicken
• Lettuce – crisp romaine lettuce and spinach leaves add extra crunch (add iceberg lettuce if you’d like)
• Mandarin oranges – canned in juice, drained (or use fresh segments if in season)
• Mushrooms – fresh sliced mushrooms adds a creamy texture to the salad
• Scallions – sliced green onions, scallions, or minced chives
• Toasted Sesame Seeds – adds the finishing touch to the salad

For the Dressing

• Mayonnaise – light or regular
• Honey – adds a touch of sweetness to the dressing
• Rice wine vinegar – rice vinegar is light and adds the acid needed to make a delicious vinaigrette
• Dijon mustard – use regular or grainy mustard
• Fresh ginger – freezing ginger for 5 minutes before grating makes it much easier
• Toasted Sesame oil – you can also use olive oil, or grapeseed oil
• Sriracha sauce – store-bought or homemade

Whisk it all together in a small bowl or shake it up in a mason jar. Taste and adjust to your liking – it should be zesty, slightly sweet, and full of ginger-forward tang.

Find the printable recipe card with exact measurements and step-by-step instructions below.

Variations

• Crisp Cabbage – if you’d like to add more crunch to this salad add chopped red cabbage, green cabbage, napa cabbage, or purple cabbage before tossing.
• Toppings – you can easily modify this salad with other toppings like: crunchy chow mein noodles, sliced bell pepper, roasted ramen noodles, crunchy almonds, and fresh cilantro leaves.

Assembly Instructions

1. Cook the chicken: Season your chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then bake, grill, or poach until cooked through. Cool slightly and shred or dice.
2. Prep the veggies: While the chicken cooks, shred the cabbage, slice the green onions, and julienne the carrots.
3. Make the dressing: Combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar or bowl and whisk until emulsified.
4. Toss the salad: In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, chicken, carrots, mandarin oranges, green onions, and cilantro. Add dressing to taste and toss gently to coat.
5. Top and serve: Finish with a generous sprinkle of crispy wonton strips just before serving to keep them crunchy.

Tips for Storing

• Store components separately: Keep the cabbage mix, dressing, and wonton strips in separate containers until ready to serve. This prevents sogginess and keeps everything fresh.
• Refrigerate leftovers promptly: Once dressed, the salad is best eaten within 1-2 days. After that, the cabbage may start to wilt and the wontons lose their crunch.
• Revive with extra crunch: If storing pre-dressed leftovers, add a handful of fresh wonton strips or slivered almonds just before serving for added texture.
• Meal prep tip: Portion the undressed salad into airtight container and keep a small jar of dressing on the side for a grab-and-go lunch solution.

This Chinese Chicken Salad is fresh, fast, and totally foolproof. It’s the kind of dish that tastes like sunshine and feels a little fancy – even though it’s secretly super simple. Whether you’re feeding your family or prepping lunch for the week, it’s a total winner you’ll want in your regular rotation.

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