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A large bowl is filled to the top with chinese chicken salad.
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Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe

Crisp, light and vibrantly fresh, Chinese Chicken Salad is made with oranges, tender, chicken and veggies with an addicting Chinese Plum Dressing that you'll want to eat with a spoon. My take on the popular Cheesecake Factory Chinese Chicken Salad! Don't skip the crispy rice noodles, they take seconds to make.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Dinner, lunch, Salad
Cuisine: American, Chinese
Servings: 4
Author: Kellie
Cost: $10

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 wire spider

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 2 cups romaine lettuce chopped
  • 4 cups shredded napa cabbage
  • 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
  • 3 cups cooked chopped chicken breast
  • 1 15- ounce can mandarin oranges juice reserved
  • 1 cup crispy wonton strips
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

For the crispy rice noodles:

  • 8.8 ounce package thin dried rice noodles
  • 1 cup canola oil for frying

For the Chinese Plum Dressing:

  • 3 tablespoons Chinese plum sauce
  • 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon garlic chili sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon reserved mandarin orange juice optional

Instructions

  • Arrange the lettuce, Napa cabbage and purple cabbage on a platter, tossing a bit to combine.
  • Top the lettuce bed with the chicken, oranges, wonton strips, almond, cilantro and sesame seeds.
  • Cover and chill while you make the rice noodles.
  • Cut the rice noodles into 4-5 niche strips so they fit in the pot. Set aside.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot, approximately 2-3 minutes.
  • Take a small piece of noodle and drop it into the oil to test the heat. It should puff up within seconds. If it doesn’t, remove and wait a little longer for the oil to heat up.
  • Remove the noodle and continue to fry noodles by dropping handfuls into the hot oil.
  • Using a slotted spoon or wire spider, quickly flip them once and then remove from the oil to a platter lined with a paper towel.
  • Repeat with the remaining noodles. Set aside.
  • Make the dressing by whisking together the plum sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, garlic chili sauce, sesame oil and, if using, the mandarin orange juice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Top the salad with the crispy rice noodles and serve the dressing on the side.
  • Alternatively, you can toss the salad with the dressing first and then top with the crispy rice noodles.
  • Best if served the same day you make it.

Notes

Crispy rice noodles are easy to make and you won't even need to make the whole package. They're best served soon after making.
The Plum Dressing is more than you will need for the salad but save the remainder because it's amazing on chicken, shrimp and more. 

Nutrition

Calories: 447kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 680mg | Potassium: 1008mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 4437IU | Vitamin C: 86mg | Calcium: 229mg | Iron: 4mg