Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe
The legendary salad you crave w/ white meat chicken, almonds. Mandarin oranges, Chinese noodles, pasta, green onions, lettuce, carrots, side Chinese dressing
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Ingredients
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Salad
Dressing (Chinese-style sweet-savory dressing)
Optional garnish / extras
Method
Salad
- 1
Prepare chicken
If not already cooked, poach or roast 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 10–12 oz) until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Let rest 5 minutes, then shred or dice to measure 3 cups. Alternatively, use store rotisserie white meat, shredded.
- 2
Prepare lettuce and vegetables
Wash and thoroughly dry the romaine (or napa) and chop into bite-size pieces to yield about 6 cups. Peel and julienne or shred the carrot to make 1 cup. Trim and thinly slice 4 green onions on the bias. Place lettuce, carrots and most of the green onions in a large mixing bowl.
- 3
Combine salad components
Add the shredded chicken, cooked and cooled pasta (1 cup), drained mandarin segments (1 cup), toasted almonds (reserve 2–3 tablespoons for garnish) and crispy Chinese noodles (reserve a few tablespoons for garnish) to the mixing bowl. Gently toss to combine, keeping the crunchy components separate until just before serving if you prefer extra crispness.
Dressing (Chinese-style sweet-savory dressing)
- 4
In a small bowl or jar combine 3 tbs soy sauce, 2 tbs rice vinegar, 3 tbs neutral vegetable oil, 1 tbs honey, 1 tbs fresh lime juice, 1 tsp grated fresh ginger, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp sesame oil, and 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional). Whisk or shake vigorously until emulsified. If the dressing seems too strong, add up to 1 tbs water to thin and taste, adjusting honey, vinegar or soy to balance sweet-sour-salty. Chill briefly if desired.
Assemble & serve
- 5
Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the combined salad (start with less; you can add more at the table). Gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly. Taste and add additional dressing if needed.
- 6
Transfer salad to a serving platter or individual bowls. Sprinkle the reserved toasted almonds, reserved crispy noodles, sesame seeds (optional) and remaining sliced green onions over the top. Add optional cilantro leaves for brightness.
- 7
Serve immediately with remaining dressing on the side so guests can add more. If storing, keep crunchy components separate and dress just before serving to retain texture.