Local-Style Chinese Chicken Salad hits the spot! This is how we make it in Hawaii. Napa cabbage, purple cabbage, dark meat chicken, a good dressing, and more. Don't forget the wonton strips ^_^
Everyone loves a good Chinese Chicken Salad.
This is a popular dish at potluck parties, birthday parties, and family gatherings. Picture a big tray of Chinese Chicken Salad and some tongs. Take what you want and put it on your plate. Spoon some dressing on top. Mix and eat! So good.
It's a fun way to get a big variety of fresh vegetables and doesn't feel too "salad-y" thanks to the shredded chicken and wonton chips.
This is what the salad looks like after we mix everything (including the chicken) together. Then we add the wonton chips on top. We bring it to the table like this. Everyone helps themselves and adds as much or little dressing as they like. It's a great big group type of dish!
If you're making this for yourself, it's also a great meal prep dish. Keep the ingredients separate and assemble the salad when you are ready to eat. This recipe makes about six portions. Use more or less of any ingredient. It's a flexible recipe that can be easily adjusted.
Where to Buy Wonton Chips / Strips
Wonton chips / strips are a key component of this salad. They're technically optional, but it's just not the same without it.
You can use chips or strips. Different brands make different shapes. And if you can't find any at your local supermarket, you can make it at home.
Just take wonton skins, slice them into thin strips and deep fry them. It's extra work but the best solution if you can't buy any pre-made wonton chips.
Pictured above is Maebo's One-Ton Chips (I took this photo at at Chef Zone). Maebo's is based in Hilo on the Big Island, and they've been around since 1950! These chips are DELICIOUS! We sometimes buy the big bags and keep it around for snacking. I like how these chips are real thick and a tiny bit sweet, but also salty. So good.
If you want strips, the Hawaii Candy brand of wun tun strips are very popular and you can find them at many supermarkets. I took the picture above at the Safeway in Manoa. The strips tend to be thinner and "easier" to mix and eat with a salad.
Strips versus chips are a personal preference. Can't go wrong either way!
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need:
The Salad Dressing
- Rice vinegar
- Soy sauce
- Mirin
- Avocado oil (or canola oil) - Use any type of neutral oil
- Sesame oil
- Roasted sesame seeds
The Salad
- Napa cabbage - Shredded
- Purple cabbage - Shredded
- Carrot - Shredded
- Green onions - Finely chopped
- Cilantro - Finely chopped
- Dark meat chicken - Cooked and shredded. You can use store-bought rotisserie chicken. Or you can make your own at home. For this post I cooked a bunch of drumsticks (seasoned with salt and pepper) in the toaster oven and shredded the meat. I saved the bones to make stock ^_^
- Fried wonton chips or strips - Technically optional but I would never make this salad without it.
Instructions
Let's get cooking!
Combine all the ingredient for the dressing in a bowl. Whisk until well combined. Or you can put all the ingredients in a jar with a good lid (as pictured above). Then shake, shake, shake until it's well mixed. Set aside.
In a big bowl, add the shredded napa cabbage, purple cabbage, and carrots. Then add the green onions and cilantro on top. Add the chicken. Then gently mix everything until evenly combined.
Right before serving, add the dressing and mix, mix, mix.
Note: don't add all the dressing at once. Add half of the dressing, and then taste and decide if you need more. If you have extra dressing, great. Save it for another salad.
Top with the wonton chips / strips. And serve! Eat and enjoy ^_^
FAQ
Make Kalua Pork and Cabbage, Glass Noodles and Cabbage stir fry, and Pork and Cabbage Dumplings.
Don't add the dressing until right before you eat the salad.
If you keep all the components separate, the ingredients will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days (the cabbage will keep even longer). I recommend keeping everything separate until you plan to eat.
The assembled salad (without dressing) will keep for a day.
- Add nuts! Sliced almonds are popular.
- Add more greens! You can also add shredded romaine lettuce.
- Add thinly sliced celery.
- Add snow peas! Quickly blanch for 20 seconds, and thinly slice.
- We already have roasted sesame seeds in the dressing, but if you love sesame seeds (I do!), feel free to sprinkle more sesame seeds on top of the salad.
Chicken Chicken Salad Recipe
Chinese Chicken Salad
Ingredients
The Salad Dressing
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- ¼ cup avocado oil (or canola oil)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
The Salad
- 1 small head napa cabbage shredded
- 1 small head purple cabbage shredded
- 1 large carrot shredded
- 1 bunch green onions finely chopped
- 1 bunch cilantro finely chopped
- 1 pound dark meat chicken cooked and shredded
- 2 cups fried wonton chips or strips optional
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredient for the dressing in a bowl. Whisk until well combined. Or you can put all the ingredients in a jar with a good lid. Then shake, shake, shake until it's well mixed. Set aside.
- In a big bowl, add the shredded napa cabbage, purple cabbage, and carrots. Then add the green onions and cilantro on top. Add the chicken. Then gently mix everything until evenly combined.
- Right before serving, add the dressing and mix, mix, mix. Note: don't add all the dressing at once. Add half of the dressing, and then taste and decide if you need more. If you have extra dressing, great. Save it for another salad.
- Top with the wonton chips / strips. And serve! Eat and enjoy ^_^
Hi Kathy: Chinese chicken salad is a favorite of mine. I make it every couple of months. When I do, I have to make two quarts of the salad dressing. My adult daughter thinks this dressing is the best and uses it on all her salads, no matter what kind of salad it is. The two quarts is gone in about a month or so -- Lol! I love your recipes!