Description
Zesty Chinese chicken salad delivers a crisp, refreshing medley of flavors that dance across your palate. Crunchy vegetables, tender chicken, and a tangy sesame dressing create a quick, satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 4 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
Vegetables and Herbs:
- 1 pound (454 grams) Napa cabbage, cored and finely shredded
- 2 cups red cabbage, cored and finely shredded
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, minced
Garnish and Additional Ingredients:
- 1 cup fried wonton strips
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Dressing Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Craft the dressing in a sealed jar by vigorously whisking canola oil, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, grated ginger, and toasted sesame oil until thoroughly emulsified.
- Allow the dressing to rest at room temperature, enabling the flavors to harmonize and develop depth while preparing the remaining salad components.
- Select a spacious mixing vessel and layer shredded chicken as the foundational protein element.
- Incorporate finely sliced green and purple cabbage varieties to create a robust and textural base for the salad.
- Introduce julienned carrots to add vibrant color and crisp freshness to the mixture.
- Gently fold sliced scallions and minced cilantro throughout the salad, distributing herbs evenly.
- Drizzle the prepared dressing over the assembled ingredients, carefully tossing to ensure comprehensive coating.
- Immediately before serving, scatter toasted sesame seeds across the salad’s surface for nutty undertones.
- Crown the salad with crispy fried wonton strips, providing a delightful crunch that contrasts with the tender chicken and vegetables.
- Serve chilled or at ambient temperature for maximum flavor enjoyment.
Notes
- Whip up this zesty salad when craving a burst of Asian-inspired flavors packed with fresh, crisp ingredients.
- Perfect for meal prep, the dressing can be made days ahead, allowing busy home cooks to quickly assemble a restaurant-quality dish in minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: None
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 305
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg