Chinese Chicken Salad
My Favorite Take Out Salad At Home
This Chinese Chicken Salad hits all the right notes with not one, but two dressings. One is a tangy peanut dressing with flavors of rice vinegar and soy sauce and the other is a slightly spicy Thai inspired vinaigrette.
I was guilty of ordering this Chinese Chicken Salad from a local chain restaurant almost weekly. Let me tell you, that got expensive so I decided to make a copy cat version at home and I was NOT disappointed.
This is a great salad to make ahead ahead and eat throughout the week. With the veggies and chicken, it is also a complete meal.
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I included some pictures and information below for those who may need more clarification on some of the ingredeints.
Chow Mein Noodles
These noodles bring me back to the 1980s when my Mom used to make her American Chop Suey recipe. They are the perfect crunch for this salad.
I find this product easily at most any grocery store. If you have a hard time finding these, you can use two packets of the cheap ramen noodles instead.
To prepare the ramen noodles, discard the seasoning packet, crush up the noodles lightly, and toast them up in a pan with some oil. They will be crunchy and delicious and have a nutty flavor.
I use this method for my Ramen Noodle Salad and it is delicious.
I do like the chow mein noodles for this salad, so try to get them if you can.
Garlic Chili Crunch Oil
This garlic chili crunch oil may be a newer ingredient to some. I have been using it for quite some time and I absolutely love it.
It is spicy so I would suggest starting with a small amount and adding more as you taste and go. I see this at most grocery stores and you can also get at Trader Joes or on Amazon.
If spice is not your thing, you can totally omit this ingredient and the vinaigrette will still be good.
Napa, The Friendly Cabbage
Many may be unfamiliar with this beautiful cabbage, but I bet a lot of your stores carry it. It is crunchy yet tender and has a sweet flavor even when it is raw.
If you cannot find this, you can use a variety of lettuces in your salad instead. You can also add a little regular or purple cabbage to the lettuce.
Slice it thin!
I would not add too much of the regular or purple cabbage, because raw, it can be rough on the stomach if you know what I mean.
I would still encourage you to give this a try, if you can, in moderation.
Rotisserie Chicken In The Deli
I like to use the rotisserie chicken deli meat. I like the way it holds up in the salad.
I get a brand here in Chicago called Boar’s Head, but you do not have to buy this brand. Aldi sells a prepackaged one as that is very good as well.
You can also just use regular rotisserie chicken.
Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe
Chinese Chicken Salad features two dressings that come together to accentuate the crunch of toasted almonds, Napa cabbage, and savory chicken.
Ingredients
- For The Peanut Dressing:
- 1/4 cup Rice Vinegar (seasoned)
- 1/4 cup of any Salad Oil (canola, extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil or peanut oil)
- 1/4 cup of Soy Sauce
- 2 tablespoons of Peanut Butter (crunchy or smooth) *you can add more or less peanut butter, I recommend adding a tablespoon at a time, tasting and adjusting)
- Pinch of Black Pepper
- 2 teaspoons of Dried Minced Onion
- 1 teaspoon of Honey
- 1 teaspoon of Sesame Oil
- For The Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup of Rice Vinegar (seasoned)
- 2 tablespoons of Honey
- 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of Garlic Chili Crunch Oil *this can be omitted if you do not like some spice, you can also add a little at a time, taste, and adjust
- 1 tablespoon of Sesame Oil
- 1/4 cup of Salad Oil of your choice (canola, vegetable, peanut or avocado)
- For The Salad:
- 1 cup of Slivered Almonds
- 1 cup of Crunchy Chow Mein noodles *pictured in post
- 4 to 6 cups of chopped Napa Cabbage
- 4 cups of chopped Romaine
- 1 cup of Arugula
- 1 cup of sliced baby Red Bell Peppers
- 6 Green Onions, sliced, both white and green parts
- 1 cup of finely sliced Chives
- 1 seedless Cucumber, sliced thin
- 1 lb. of sliced Rotisserie Deli Chicken, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1 Jalapeño, seeded and sliced thin *optional
- 1 cup of Cilantro Leaves
Instructions
- To make the peanut dressing, whisk the peanut butter with the vinegar until smooth. Add the soy sauce, honey, black pepper, and minced onion then whisk. Next add in the sesame and salad oil. Whisk well, add to a container, and refrigerate before serving. This dressing lasts a week or so in fridge.
- To make the vinaigrette, whisk all of the ingredients together until smooth. Add to a container and also refrigerate until ready to serve. This also lasts about a week.
- To make the salad, add a teaspoon of salad oil to a skillet and carefully toast your slivered almonds. Toast until slightly golden and fragrant and immediately remove from pan. Spread on a paper towel to cool.
- Prep your vegetable by washing and chopping and slicing as called for in the ingredients section.
- When ready to serve, combine all of the vegetables, drizzle with the vinaigrette, and then toss well to coat the vegetables.
- Top the salad with your Chow Mein noodles, your chicken, and your slivered almonds, then drizzle with the peanut dressing on top.