Chinese Chicken Salad and Dressing Recipe fans will love how this fresh, crunchy bowl mixes cabbage, sesame, mandarin oranges, ramen noodles, rice noodles, and wonton strips with shredded rotisserie chicken. It has that copycat Applebee's Chinese chicken salad feel, tossed in an Asian chicken salad dressing with soy that keeps every bite light but flavorful. You'll learn the Chinese chicken salad dressing recipe step by step, making this one of the best easy, healthy meals to pull together fast. Pin it now so this crunchy favorite is always ready when you need something quick and satisfying.

Chinese salad and dressing plated on a wooden plate, with a fork to the side

Why is this the best Chinese chicken salad and dressing recipe

This easy Chinese chicken salad and dressing recipe is absolutely delicious! The combination of fresh lettuce, shredded rotisserie chicken, green onions, red cabbage, mandarin orange, and crunchy wonton crisps, finished with crispy rice noodles and a dressing so good you'll want to lick the plate, is a satisfying meal for any time of day!

This recipe makes the best Chinese chicken salad recipe anytime! It's super easy to make and quick enough for busy weeknight dinners. Add vegetable fried rice or vegetable spring rolls, and it's a whole-family dinner that everyone will love at the end of a long day!

This is an easy recipe for Chinese chicken salad and Asian dressing. Mix this quick salad with lettuce, green onion, shredded chicken (or store-bought rotisserie chicken), mandarin oranges, red cabbage, almonds, and sunflower seeds. Toss with the dressing and top with wonton strips or fried rice noodles. That's it!

The ingredients for the dish are common and easy to find. You likely already have most of the simple ingredients for this easy Chinese chicken salad recipe in your pantry. If you need an ingredient or two, you can easily find them in most local grocery stores or on Amazon!

This Chinese chicken salad dressing recipe tastes amazing! This dressing is delicious on its own and even more refreshing with the greens, chicken, and crunchy bits. I'm not exaggerating. You're gonna want to lick your plate!

What you'll need to make Chinese chicken salad

Equipment

Chicken shredder - This is the neatest gadget and one that I use at least 3 times a week. Basically, you take a chicken breast and toss it in. Put the top on, twist a few times, and it's shredded! It takes literally 20 seconds per breast. Chicken shreds best when it's warm or hot, so if you're shredded cold chicken, put it in the microwave for a few seconds.

Ingredients

See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

For the Chinese chicken salad dressing

brown sugar - You need a source of sweetness in the salad dressing. If you prefer to avoid sugar, you could use pure maple syrup or honey, or an alternate sweetener.
low sodium soy sauce - I prefer the flavor of low sodium soy sauce, but if you prefer the original, use that instead.
vegetable oil - Any neutral oil will work in this recipe. I don't recommend coconut oil, but vegetable, canola, or olive oil will be great.
rice vinegar - Rice vinegar gives the salad dressing the Asian flavor we're looking for. If you're in a pinch, you can use plain white vinegar instead.
sesame oil - A little sesame oil goes a long way, so don't add too much.

For the Chinese chicken salad

iceberg lettuce - This should be rinsed and chopped. You can replace the iceberg with whatever lettuce you like including romaine or a bagged mix.
red cabbage - This should be rinsed and chopped or shredded. I use a big chef's knife and cut it into thin strips and then separate the strips with my fingers.
shredded chicken - Any shredded chicken is fine, whether you're using shredded rotisserie chicken, leftover roast chicken, or even a couple of breasts that you cooked for this purpose.
sugar snap peas - These add some crunch and a different texture.
green onions - You'll use both the white and green parts, chopped.
mandarin oranges - These need to be drained well.
sliced toasted almonds - If you can't find sliced toasted almonds, you can toast your own in a dry skillet over medium heat (3-5 minutes) or in a single layer on a baking sheet at 350ºF (8-9 minutes)bnb , until they're deep golden brown and smell nutty. In either case, keep a close eye on them because they'll jump from perfect to burnt in about 30 seconds.
shelled sunflower seeds - These are typically already shelled when you buy them.
1 bag fried wonton strips or fried rice noodles - Wonton strips are in the salad section of the grocery store, or make your own fried rice noodles. To make them, heat a skillet with a few tablespoons of oil and add the noodles, just a few at a time. When they puff up, take them out of the oil and drain on paper towels. They will cook extremely fast.

How to make Asian chicken salad

Prepare the Chinese chicken salad dressing recipe at least 30 minutes ahead. The longer it sits, the better it tastes.

Whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, oil, rice vinegar, and sesame oil until mixed, or put the ingredients in a mason jar and shake to combine.
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For the Chinese chicken salad recipe.

In a large bowl, toss the iceberg lettuce, cabbage, shredded chicken, peas, green onions, oranges, almonds, and sunflower seeds.
Just before serving, toss salad with the dressing.
For the crunchy topping, add fried wonton strips (found in the salad aisle) or fried rice noodles (see note above in the ingredients section). You can also use broken up ramen noodles, but this is my least favorite options since they stay quite hard rather than just crunchy.
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Serve immediately.

Substitutions & variations

Swap shredded chicken for sliced grilled, baked, or poached chicken breast, or replace the chicken altogether with grilled shrimp, steak strips, or tofu.

If you'd like some spice to your salad, add chili crisp, siriracha, or red pepper flakes.

You can top your salad with a drizzle of hot honey, grated fresh ginger, or pressed fresh garlic cloves. You can also add any or all of these to your dressing.

Storing leftovers

Chinese chicken salad is best when eaten immediately, but you can store it for a short time. If the salad is all assembled, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. The greens may soften, but the flavor will remain good. Don't eat after 24 hours, as the dressed greens will spoil.

Place leftover salad (without dressing or chicken) in an airtight container or zippered plastic bag with a paper towel. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Keep crunchy toppings separate at room temperature in a sealed container. Refrigerating these will make them soggy.

Store shredded chicken separately in an airtight container in the fridge. It keeps well for 3-5 days.

The dressing ingredients can be stored in a glass jar or an airtight container and will keep for at least a week. Shake well when ready to use.

Chinese Chicken Salad and Dressing Recipe

Why is this the best Chinese chicken salad and dressing recipe