Chinese-Inspired Chicken Salad

Name: Chinese-Inspired Chicken Salad
Prep time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts (cooked (rotisserie chicken breast works great)); 8 cups green cabbage (about 1 small head or 1/2 large head); 4 cups purple cabbage (about 1 small head); 4 cups carrots (shaved (about 4 large carrots)); 4 scallions (chopped); 1/4 cup sliced almonds; 1/2 cup crispy noodles (used: La Choy Chow Mein noodles); sprinkle sesame seeds; drizzle honey; 1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce; 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar; 2 tbsp sesame oil; 1 tbsp sugar; 1 tsp sriracha

July 31, 2021 By Steph 23 Comments

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Crisp shredded cabbage, ribbons of carrots, chicken breast, vinaigrette, sliced almonds and crunchy noodles come together to create this tasty and healthy salad. Ready in minutes, there is no cooking required to create this salad, making it the ideal meal in warm temperatures. This Chinese-inspired chicken salad makes a delicious, easy, and healthy lunch with no re-heating required. Packed with protein and fiber, this dish is satisfying as well as tasty.

What does this Chinese-inspired chicken salad taste like?

This salad is packed with texture; the crispy raw cabbage and the smooth but crisp ribbons of shaved carrots create the bed of “greens” for this salad. Flavorful, moist chicken breast is thinly sliced and mixed throughout the salad, packing it with protein and more flavor. The dressing is made with soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and a touch of sriracha, and the toppings on the salad include crunchy almonds and noodles. All together, this salad is satisfying and delicious. Each bite is packed with different flavors and textures, and it’s easy to eat. It’s also easy to pack as a lunch for on-the-go. To make this salad in advance, I suggest leaving the dressing off until the end, to prevent it from getting soggy. This recipe makes 6 servings at 2 cups each, or you can divide it into 4 larger servings at 3 cups each. Either way, this is a filling and nutritious meal that you can feel great about eating. Packed with protein, veggies, and fiber, you can enjoy a flavorful dish but also feel great about what you are putting into your body! There are no “diet” foods in this recipe; all the real deal, just modified amounts of each ingredient to make this dish lightened-up, without tasting like it.

What will I need to make this recipe?

For this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

green cabbage
red cabbage
carrots
- I peel my own carrots, and although buying shredded carrots is a great shortcut, I do not recommend it for this recipe because the taste and texture is different than peeling your own carrot ribbons.
scallions
chicken breast (cooked, like a rotisserie chicken, or you can cook your own)
- If you cook your own chicken breast, you will also need olive oil spray, kosher salt and pepper, which I consider pantry staples.
reduced sodium soy sauce
sesame oil
rice wine vinegar
sugar
honey
crispy noodles
- These can be found in the international aisle of the supermarket with other Asian ingredients.
slivered almonds

How to make this Chinese chicken salad

To make this salad, start out by thinly slicing your cooked chicken breast. You can use rotisserie chicken breast, or you can roast your own: if you roast your own, simply season with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Spray with olive oil spray, and roast at 400F for about 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165F. To prep the vegetables, wash the cabbage and the carrots. Peel the outer layer off the carrots, and then, using your vegetable peeler, peel the carrot into ribbons. This will mimic the texture and size of the shredded cabbage, which is why this method of cutting is preferable for this recipe. Next, peel the outer layer of the cabbage off, and using your knife, shred the cabbage. Total volume of each ingredient is as follows: 8 cups of green cabbage, 4 cups of red cabbage, 4 cups of shredded carrots. In addition to prepping the vegetables, chop up the scallions. Add the cabbage, carrots, scallions and chicken to a huge mixing bowl.

Next, to prepare the salad dressing, combine the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha and sugar. Whisk together and pour over the vegetables, using tongs to toss thoroughly. To plate, add the dressed salad to a serving platter, garnished with the crispy noodles, slivered almonds, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of honey. If you are making the salad in advance or for meal prep, leave the dressing off to the side to avoid making the salad mushy.

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