Chinese Chicken Salad – a quick and easy rotisserie chicken salad with an Asian dressing and lots of crunchy delicious mix-ins!
If a restaurant has an Asian chicken salad on the menu, chances are I will pick it. I love the one at Panera and sometimes make a trip there just because the cravings strike. There is just something about Panera Macaroni and Cheese, so it should come as no surprise that this salad had to get made at home too.
Despite the name, this salad has nothing to do with China or Asia. It is usually a salad that as served as an entree in restaurants, and now you can make it at home! It is believe that this salad (also known as an Asian Chicken Salad or Oriental Chicken Salad) originated at a restaurant in California. These days it is all over, and Cheesecake Factory is another one that is similar to this that is very well known.
This starts as your basic Oriental Chicken Salad with a base of cabbage and then I added some romaine as well. Then you start with your mix-ins, and this is where you can go crazy! I like to keep it basic, but you can go all out and add whatever your favorites are! The mix-ins are what make a salad a meal, which is why I love this Southwestern Cobb Salad for both lunch and dinner.
Chinese Chicken Salad Ingredients
- Use shrimp instead of chicken
- Chopped peanuts
- Snow Peas
- Edamame
- Chopped Bell Pepper
- Water chestnuts
- Wonton Strips
- Chow Mein Noodles
- Almonds
- Carrots
- Celery
- Green Onions
- Sesame Seeds
- Use bagged coleslaw mix to save on chopping
You know what makes this Chinese chicken salad recipe so easy? Rotisserie chicken. It is seasoned to perfection and so easy to just shred and add to your salad. This is what makes it hearty and a complete meal, and gets dinner on the table in under 15 minutes.
The dressing is just a few ingredients that you can shake together in a jar and have ready whenever dinner is ready. You can make the dressing the day before and just have waiting for you. If you store it in the fridge, just set it out for a few minutes before you are ready to eat so it can come to room temperature and mix in with your salad easily.
Can You Make Chinese Chicken Salad Ahead of Time
Yes, but I like to wait to put the dressing and the crunchy toppings (wonton strips and chow main noodles) on until you are ready to serve. The crunchy add-ins start to get soggy if they sit with the dressing on. So I like to make a little extra dressing and then just let people add whatever amount they want when they are ready to eat. And then they can sprinkle on a few of their favorite toppings.
The leftover salad can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge. The next day you can use the leftovers for lunch and just add on your wonton strips and the leftover dressing for a quick and easy lunch. You can really make this salad your own and cater to the ingredients you and your family enjoys!
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Michelle says
My aunt always made something like this chinese chicken salad, but I haven’t been able to find her recipe. I will try this, thanks for sharing!
Sara Welch says
Such an easy recipe and packed with flavor too! Can’t wait to enjoy this again tomorrow for lunch!
Catalina says
How inviting this chicken salad looks! This is on my next week menu!
Taylor says
This is one of my favorites! Love all the flavors and the crunch from the noodles!
Krista says
All that crunch in that delicious dressing! I can’t wait to dig in!
Katerina @ diethood .com says
I LOVE how easy and delicious this salad is! The perfect lunch!! YUM!