Description
A vibrant and flavorful Chinese chicken salad tossed with a creamy Asian peanut dressing. This refreshing salad combines shredded chicken, crisp Napa and red cabbage, crunchy carrots, and bean sprouts, all brought together with a rich peanut butter-based dressing accented by toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, and a hint of spice from Sriracha. Topped with crunchy fried noodles, chopped peanuts, and scallions for texture and extra flavor, it’s perfect as a light lunch or a delicious side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 2 1/2 tbsp peanut butter
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp canola oil (or vegetable, grapeseed, or peanut oil)
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp + Sriracha (to taste)
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp + 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 – 1 1/2 tbsp water (or lime juice)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
Salad
- 1 1/2 cups Chinese cabbage / Napa cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups julienned carrots (pre-shredded carrots can be used)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
- 1 shallot / green onion / scallion, finely sliced on the diagonal
- 1/4 cup peanuts, roughly chopped
- 1/4+ cups crunchy fried noodles (such as Changs brand)
Instructions
- Prepare Dressing: In a jug or small bowl, combine the peanut butter, toasted sesame oil, canola oil, soy sauce, Sriracha, honey, rice wine vinegar, water (or lime juice), minced garlic, and grated ginger. Whisk thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and thick, adjusting water quantity as needed to achieve a gloopy, thick consistency. Adjust spiciness with additional Sriracha and saltiness with salt if necessary, avoiding adding more soy sauce.
- Assemble Salad: In a large bowl, combine the shredded Chinese cabbage, red cabbage, julienned carrots, shredded cooked chicken, bean sprouts, and sliced scallions, reserving some scallions for garnish.
- Toss Salad: Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients and toss well to coat everything evenly with the peanut dressing.
- Garnish and Serve: Top the tossed salad with the reserved crunchy fried noodles, chopped peanuts, and remaining sliced scallions for added texture and flavor. Serve the salad immediately to enjoy the freshness and crunchy texture.
Notes
- Use pre-shredded carrots for convenience and time-saving.
- Water can be substituted with lime juice in the dressing for a tangier flavor.
- The consistency of the dressing should be thick and gloopy, not runny.
- Adjust Sriracha to your preferred level of spiciness.
- Reserve some of the crunchy fried noodles, peanuts, and scallions for garnish to maintain textural contrast.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Chinese
Keywords: Chinese chicken salad, Asian peanut dressing, Napa cabbage salad, crunchy fried noodles, healthy chicken salad, easy Asian salad
