Asian Chicken Crunch Salad

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

Quick Answer

To make Asian Chicken Crunch Salad, toss shredded chicken and cabbage with a sesame-ginger dressing, then top with crispy noodles, toasted almonds, and sesame seeds right before serving.

Jump to Recipe

The word “salad” has covered a lot of crimes over the years, but this Asian chicken crunch salad earns the name by actually giving you something to chew. Shredded rotisserie chicken is tossed with napa cabbage, green cabbage, carrots, red bell pepper, and green onion, so the base is crisp before the toppings even show up. The dressing brings rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, toasted sesame oil, fresh ginger, and garlic together into something tangy, savory, lightly sweet, and aromatic enough to make leftover chicken feel like it got reassigned to a much better department.

The trick is not dumping everything together too early. Start with about two-thirds of the dressing and add more only if the salad needs it; cabbage can take dressing, but it should still crunch instead of swimming. Crispy chow mein noodles or wonton strips, toasted almonds, sesame seeds, and cilantro belong on top right before serving so they stay crisp. If you are making lunch ahead, keep those crunchy pieces separate until the last minute. Otherwise, by noon they will have the structural integrity of cereal somebody forgot on the counter while answering an unnecessarily long phone call.

Prep20 minutes

Cook0 minutes

Total20 minutes

Serves4 servings

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

Servings

3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
4 cups shredded napa cabbage
2 cups shredded green cabbage
2 carrots, julienned or shredded
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup crispy chow mein noodles or wonton strips
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, minced

Instructions

1Whisk together rice vinegar, vegetable oil, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl or jar until combined. Set aside.
2In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, napa cabbage, green cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, and green onions.
3Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the salad and toss well to coat.
4Taste and add more dressing as needed -- you may not need all of it depending on how heavily dressed you like your salad.
5Just before serving, top with crispy chow mein noodles, toasted almonds, sesame seeds, and cilantro so they stay crunchy.
6Serve immediately, or store the dressed salad and crunchy toppings separately if not eating right away.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 4 servings.

520Calories

37 gProtein

32 gCarbohydrates

28 gTotal Fat

5 gSaturated Fat

8 gFiber

15 gTotal Sugars

660 mgSodium

90 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Add the crunchy toppings right before serving, not when you toss the salad -- they go soft fast once they touch the dressing.
Shred the cabbage thin so it softens slightly under the dressing instead of staying tough and hard to chew.
Toast the almonds in a dry skillet for 2 to 3 minutes for a deeper, nuttier flavor before adding them to the salad.

Substitutions

rotisserie chicken → grilled chicken breast, shrimp, or cubed tofu Use about 3 cups either way.

chow mein noodles → wonton strips or crushed ramen (seasoning packet discarded) Any crunchy topping works; add right before serving.

honey → maple syrup or brown sugar Use the same amount for a vegan-friendly dressing.

Storage Instructions

Store dressed salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; the cabbage holds up better than lettuce would. Keep crunchy toppings separate and add them just before eating.

Make Ahead

Make the dressing up to 5 days ahead and refrigerate; shred the vegetables up to a day ahead and store separately.

Freezing

Not recommended -- the cabbage and dressing don't hold up well after freezing and thawing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this ahead of time?

Make the dressing up to 5 days ahead and refrigerate. Shred the vegetables up to a day ahead and store separately from the dressing and crunchy toppings.