Description
A vibrant and crunchy Chinese Chicken Salad featuring shredded cabbage, carrots, and cooked chicken, all tossed in a creamy Asian peanut dressing with a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors. Topped with crunchy fried noodles, peanuts, and scallions for added texture and freshness.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 2 1/2 tbsp peanut butter
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp canola oil (or vegetable, grapeseed, or peanut oil)
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp + Sriracha (adjust to taste)
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp + 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 – 1 1/2 tbsp water (or lime juice)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
Salad
- 1 1/2 cups Chinese cabbage / Napa cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups carrots, julienned (pre-shredded carrots can be used)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
- 1 shallot or green onion or scallion, finely sliced on the diagonal
- 1/4 cup peanuts, roughly chopped
- 1/4 + cups crunchy fried noodles (such as Changs brand)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: In a jug or small bowl, combine peanut butter, toasted sesame oil, canola oil, soy sauce, Sriracha, honey, rice wine vinegar, water (or lime juice), minced garlic, and freshly grated ginger. Whisk well to blend all ingredients until smooth. Adjust consistency using water; the dressing should be thick and glossy. Adjust spiciness with more Sriracha and salt if needed, but avoid adding extra soy sauce.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, combine shredded Chinese cabbage, red cabbage, julienned carrots, shredded cooked chicken, bean sprouts, and most of the sliced shallots, peanuts, and crunchy fried noodles—reserve some of these for garnish later.
- Toss the Salad: Drizzle the prepared peanut salad dressing over the combined salad ingredients. Toss thoroughly to ensure everything is evenly coated with the flavorful dressing.
- Garnish and Serve: Top the salad with the remaining peanuts, crunchy fried noodles, and shallots. Serve the salad immediately to retain its crisp texture and fresh flavors.
Notes
- Use pre-shredded carrots to save time, but fresh julienned carrots are best for crispness.
- Adjust Sriracha to control the spice level to your preference.
- If desired, lime juice can replace water in the dressing for a more pronounced citrus tang.
- Use crunchy fried noodles like Changs for authentic texture; crushed wonton strips can be a substitute.
- This salad is best served immediately to maintain crispness of ingredients.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Chinese
Keywords: Chinese chicken salad, Asian peanut dressing, crunchy chicken salad, Chinese cabbage salad, healthy chicken salad
