Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe
Sliced chicken breast, Mandarin orange slices, lettuce, cucumber, green onion.
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Ingredients
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Salad
Dressing
Method
Salad
- 1
Prep chicken
Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season both sides with kosher salt, black pepper and garlic powder.
- 2
Cook chicken
Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken breasts. Cook 5-7 minutes per side (depending on thickness) until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F (74°C) and the exterior is golden. Remove from skillet and let rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes.
- 3
Slice chicken
Slice the rested chicken across the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices. Keep warm or refrigerate briefly if assembling cold salad.
- 4
Prepare vegetables and fruit
While the chicken cooks, wash and spin the lettuce dry and chop or tear into bite-sized pieces. Trim the cucumber, halve lengthwise and thinly slice on the bias into 1/8-1/4-inch slices. Trim green onions, slice thinly on the bias (both white and green parts). Drain canned mandarin oranges well (or segment fresh mandarins and remove membranes).
- 5
Toasted almonds
In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the sliced almonds 2-3 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and lightly golden. Remove from heat and let cool.
- 6
Assemble salad
In a large bowl, combine chopped lettuce, cucumber slices, green onions, and mandarin orange segments. Toss gently to mix. Arrange sliced chicken on top, sprinkle with toasted almonds and cilantro (if using).
Dressing
- 7
Make dressing
In a small bowl or jar, combine rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, neutral oil, honey, grated ginger, minced garlic, chili flakes (if using), toasted sesame seeds (if using) and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk or shake vigorously until emulsified and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning: add a little more honey for sweetness, vinegar for acidity, or soy sauce for saltiness.
- 8
Dress salad
Right before serving, drizzle 3-4 tablespoons of dressing over the assembled salad (reserve extra dressing for guests to add more). Toss gently to coat ingredients evenly, or serve dressing on the side. Top with additional sesame seeds if desired.