This chinese chicken salad is on repeat in our lunch routine for good reason. It is simple to prep, lasts a few hours in the fridge, and is absolutely delicious. Plus, it is a one bowl meal which when it comes to lunch time is pretty much a must in our book. This salad has a homemade dressing with ginger and toasted sesame oil that makes it absolutely irresistible. It’s easy, yummy, and hearty making it the perfect weekday meal.
Making a Chinese Chicken Salad that lasts:
The salad is a slaw base which makes it hearty but also allows it to hold up in the fridge for a few hours or even overnight. Even though the cabbage is dressed, unlike baby lettuce or other greens, this will hold up making it the perfect to go meal. To make it last even longer, simply prep both the base and the dressing but leave off the dressing.
Flavor secrets – Chinese Chicken Salad:
Our secret to making this Chinese chicken salad the best ever are the herbs. In most versions of this salad you will find green onions, but we add mint and cilantro for even more flavor. The herbs get tossed into the salad base for delicious freshness in every bite.
The dressing – Chinese Chicken Salad:
Our favorite dressing for Chinese chicken salads is ginger and sesame forward. We add lots of fresh minced ginger and use a base of sesame oil to ensure the two flavors are prominent. Make sure to use fresh ginger for the best flavor (see our tip on peeling below). Also be sure it is a TOASTED sesame oil, not just sesame oil. The toasted version has much more flavor.
Peeling the ginger:
Although ginger root can be intimidating. For the quickest results, use the back of a spoon to peel the root. The skin will come off very easily if a spoon is used to scrape away the thin layer.
Chinese Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- 4 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 small garlic clove minced
- 2 teaspoons ginger minced
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- Pepper
Salad
- 4 cups green cabbage shredded
- 1 cup red cabbage shredded
- 1 cup carrot shredded
- 6 green onions thinly sliced
- ½ cup mint thinly sliced
- ½ cup cilantro thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- ½ cup cashews
- Bell pepper optional
- Shredded chicken optional
- Shredded sushi ginger optional
Instructions
- Mix all dressing ingredients together and stir well with a whisk or shake in a mason jar
- Add all salad ingredients into a bowl, pour over the dressing, and toss to combine
