Chinese Chicken Salad

This Chinese Chicken Salad is fresh, crunchy, and tossed in a creamy homemade peanut dressing that’s packed with flavor. It’s quick to make, easy to customize, and perfect for a light dinner or satisfying lunch—especially when you want something fresh without turning on the oven.

Why You’ll Love This Chinese Chicken Salad

• Fresh, crunchy, and full of contrast – Crisp cabbage, juicy oranges, tender chicken, and crunchy almonds make every bite interesting and satisfying.
• That peanut dressing is everything – Creamy, tangy, slightly sweet, and made from scratch in minutes—it doubles as a dip or satay sauce.
• Quick when you need it to be – Use rotisserie or pre-cooked chicken and you can have dinner on the table in about 15 minutes.
• Perfect for meal prep or make-ahead – The dressing can be made days in advance, and the salad components hold up well for easy assembly later.
• Highly customizable – Swap in snap peas, bell peppers, avocado, or different nuts depending on what you have on hand.
• Light but satisfying – It’s hearty enough for dinner but still feels fresh and not heavy—especially perfect for warmer months.

This Chinese Chicken Salad is loaded with crisp cabbage, sweet carrots, cool cucumber, and tender shredded chicken, all tossed together with juicy orange segments and plenty of crunch from almonds and sesame seeds. Every bite is fresh, flavorful, and perfectly balanced.

And then there’s the dressing! This fresh-from-scratch Peanut Sauce Recipe doubles as the perfect Chinese chicken salad dressing or as a chicken satay sauce. It doesn’t take long to blend the dressing together, but why not make it ahead of time to speed up the prep even further?

What Makes This Peanut Dressing So Good (And Perfect for Chinese Chicken Salad)

This homemade peanut dressing is the star of this Chinese Chicken Salad. It’s rich and creamy from the peanut butter, balanced with tangy vinegar and savory soy sauce, and finished with fresh garlic and ginger for bold, fresh flavor.

A touch of sesame oil adds that signature nutty depth, while the smooth blend of ingredients creates a dressing that coats every bite beautifully—never heavy, just perfectly balanced.

Even better, it comes together in minutes and can be made ahead, making this salad as easy as it is delicious.

Speaking of the time it takes to prep this salad, if your chicken is pre-cooked and the dressing made ahead of time, you can have dinner on the table in about 15 minutes. I’ve found the best method for cooking chicken breasts for this salad is to gently boil them until an instant-read thermometer reads 160F degrees in the center of the thickest part, but you could add grilled chicken or even left-over rotisserie chicken.

Chinese Chicken Salad also easily converts to a raw vegan-friendly salad simply by omitting the chicken. Change it up a bit but adding some red bell pepper, jalapeno slices, avocado and even broccoli or shredded brussel sprouts. The green cabbage is refreshing and crunchy, but you could use any dark leafy lettuce and some slices of red cabbage instead. Switch out the almonds for cashews or Spanish peanuts.

Tips for the Best Chinese Chicken Salad

• Use pre-cooked chicken to save time
  Rotisserie chicken or leftovers work perfectly here and turn this into a 15-minute meal.
• Don’t skip toasting the almonds
  It takes just a few minutes but adds a deeper, richer flavor and extra crunch.
• Slice everything thin for the best texture
  Thin cabbage, snow peas, and carrots help the dressing coat evenly and make every bite balanced.
• Add dressing gradually
  Start with less, toss, and add more as needed—you want everything lightly coated, not weighed down.
• Chill the dressing if you have time
  Letting it sit for even 30 minutes helps the garlic and ginger flavors develop.
• Wait to add crunchy toppings until serving
  Almonds and sesame seeds stay crisp and fresh this way.
• Customize based on what you have
  This salad is very forgiving—swap in snap peas, bell peppers, or different nuts depending on the season.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make Chinese chicken salad ahead of time?

Yes, but for best texture, keep the components separate until just before serving. Prep the vegetables, cook or shred the chicken, and make the dressing ahead of time. Toss everything together right before serving so the cabbage stays crisp and the toppings don’t soften.

What kind of cabbage is best for Chinese chicken salad?

Green cabbage is the classic choice because it’s crisp, sturdy, and holds up well to the dressing. A bagged coleslaw mix works great for convenience, or you can use a mix of green and red cabbage for extra color and crunch.

Can I use rotisserie chicken?

Absolutely. Rotisserie chicken is one of the easiest ways to make this salad quickly, and it adds great flavor. Leftover grilled or baked chicken works just as well.

How long does the peanut dressing last?

The dressing can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5–7 days. Give it a quick stir or shake before using, as it may thicken slightly as it chills.

What to Serve with Chinese Chicken Salad

This Chinese Chicken Salad is satisfying on its own, but it also pairs beautifully with a few simple sides if you’re serving a crowd or want to round out the meal.

• Light soups – A simple broth-based soup like egg drop soup or a mild miso-style soup complements the fresh flavors without overpowering the salad.
• Spring rolls or lettuce wraps – Fresh spring rolls, shrimp rolls, or chicken lettuce wraps make a great appetizer-style pairing for a light, balanced meal.
• Rice or noodles – Serve alongside a small portion of jasmine rice, sesame noodles, or even chilled rice noodles for a more filling dinner.
• Grilled or roasted protein – Add grilled shrimp, teriyaki chicken, or even salmon if you want to stretch the salad into a larger spread.
• Crispy wontons or tortilla strips – For extra crunch, a handful of crispy wonton strips or baked tortilla strips works perfectly on the side or sprinkled right on top.
• Fresh fruit – Keep things light with sliced mango, pineapple, or extra orange segments to echo the bright flavors in the salad.

If you’re looking for a fresh, flavor-packed meal that comes together quickly, this Chinese Chicken Salad is one you’ll come back to over and again. The combination of crisp vegetables, tender chicken, and that creamy peanut dressing makes it feel a little special without any extra effort. It’s perfect for warm days, easy lunches, or casual dinners when you want something satisfying but not too heavy.

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5 from 6 votes

Chinese Chicken Salad

This Chinese Chicken Salad is fresh, crisp, and full of flavor with tender chicken, crunchy vegetables, and a creamy homemade peanut dressing. It’s quick to make, easy to customize, and perfect for a light lunch or satisfying dinner.

Course Main Dish Salad

Cuisine Chinese

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Calories 533

Author Sally Humeniuk

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients 

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For the Dressing:

• ½ cup soy sauce or tamari
• ½ cup peanut butter not peanut butter that needs stirring
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 2 Tbsps chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 Tbsps sesame oil
• 1 cup avocado oil

Salad Ingredients:

• ½ cup slivered or sliced almonds
• 1 10-ounce bag shredded coleslaw mix or 4 cups finely shredded green cabbage
• ¼ pound snow peas trimmed and sliced lengthwise or sugar-snap peas removed from pods
• 1 medium cucumber peeled, seeded and chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 1 carrot peeled and then shredded into ribbons with the peeler (or grate with cheese grater)
• 2 scallions sliced
• 2 Tbsps chopped fresh parsley
• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 2 oranges peeled, white pith removed, and cut between the membranes to remove segments
• 2 Tbsps sesame seeds

Instructions

Make the dressing:

• In a blender, process soy sauce, peanut butter, vinegar, garlic, fresh ginger, salt and pepper until combined. Add sesame oil and avocado oil and blended until smooth.
  ½ cup soy sauce or tamari, ½ cup peanut butter, ½ cup apple cider vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar, 2 garlic cloves, 2 Tbsps chopped peeled fresh ginger, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 2 Tbsps sesame oil, 1 cup avocado oil

Make the Salad:

• Place the almonds in a pan over medium heat. Cook, tossing occasionally, until lightly toasted. Remove from heat and set aside.
  ½ cup slivered or sliced almonds
• In a large bowl, toss together coleslaw mix, snow peas, cucumber, carrot, scallions and parsley.
  1 10-ounce bag shredded coleslaw mix, ¼ pound snow peas, 1 medium cucumber, 1 carrot, 2 scallions, 2 Tbsps chopped fresh parsley
• Add about ½ cup of the dressing and toss to combine.
• Transfer to a serving platter. Top with chicken, oranges, almonds and sesame seeds.
  3 cups shredded cooked chicken, 2 oranges, 2 Tbsps sesame seeds, ½ cup slivered or sliced almonds
• Drizzle with extra dressing and serve or serve with the dressing to pass around the table.

Notes

• Make the dressing ahead of time, up to several days, and keep in air-tight container in the fridge until ready to assemble.
• My best chicken option is to boil 5 half breasts until internal temperature measures 160F degrees. Let cool and then shred. (Bring water to boil before adding the chicken)
• Using sugar-snap peas when they're in season is fabulous for a nice flavor and pretty presentation, so I highly recommend this option. Other options besides the snow peas are using fresh from frozen petite peas, or edamame.

Nutrition Facts

Chinese Chicken Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 533 Calories from Fat 315

% Daily Value*

Fat 35g54%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Cholesterol 65mg22%

Sodium 2140mg93%

Potassium 921mg26%

Carbohydrates 25g8%

Fiber 7g29%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 33g66%

Vitamin A 2715IU54%

Vitamin C 70.4mg85%

Calcium 162mg16%

Iron 3.5mg19%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.