Asian Chicken Salad

Perfect for lunch or dinner, this Asian Chicken Salad is loaded with veggies and chunks of chicken! It's topped with a homemade Asian dressing, crunchy wontons, and toasted almonds.

Chopped salad

A chopped Asian chicken salad is a delightful and refreshing dish that combines vibrant flavors and textures. This salad features chopped chicken that is combined with a colorful assortment of crisp vegetables, creating a visually appealing and nutritious meal.

You can use leftover chicken or quickly cook up a couple of breasts. I often use leftover chicken from my lemon rosemary grilled chicken or from my beer can chicken, but leftover chicken from a store-bought rotisserie chicken works well too!

I've made an easy tasty dressing, but if you have a favorite dressing, feel free to use it!

We often make this salad as a main dish for dinner. I like to set aside a bit for lunch the next day too. I just add the dressing to my leftover salad just before eating.

Key ingredients

• Romaine - Adds crunch and flavor
• Napa Cabbage - This cabbage is slightly sweeter and less pungent than traditional green cabbage. If you have trouble locating Napa cabbage, use regular green cabbage.
• Spinach - Adds another texture and color and amps up the nutritional level!
• Red Cabbage - I've added just a touch to add a bit of color to the salad.
• Red Bell Pepper - Adds flavor, crunch, and color.
• Cucumber - I used an English cucumber. Adds freshness and crunch to the salad.
• Sugar Snap Peas - Adds flavor and crunch. You can also use snow peas.
• Cilantro - Use fresh chopped cilantro. If you're not a fan, just leave it out.
• Almonds and Sesame Seeds - The lightly toasted nuts add delicious texture and flavor. Find out more about toasting almonds!
• Wonton Wrappers - The wrappers are sliced and toasted adding great texture to the salad. Dried chow mein noodles can also be used.

Step-by-step directions

• Make the dressing by adding everything to a jar with a lid. Shake well until fully mixed.
• Make the crispy wontons by placing sliced wonton wrappers on a baking sheet. Spray lightly with a non-stick spray and sprinkle with salt. Place in a preheated 400°F oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until nicely browned and crispy.

• Chop lettuce, cabbage, spinach, and cilantro. Add to a large mixing bowl.
• Chop peppers, cucumbers, peas, and green onions and add to the lettuce.
• Toss everything together.
• Add half the dressing to the salad and toss.
• Add chicken, almonds, sesame seeds, and toasted wonton strips. Toss again until everything is well mixed. If needed, add a bit more dressing.

Recipe Tips

• Try to cut everything into similar-sized pieces
• If making ahead of time, store lettuce and cabbage together in an airtight container and store the chopped veggies in individual containers.
• Toss the salad with the dressing just before serving to avoid the ingredients becoming soggy. Start with just half the amount of dressing and add more as needed.
• Get creative! Don't be afraid to experiment with different flavor combinations. Add your favorite veggies or other ingredients.

To toast almonds and sesame seeds

To toast the sesame seeds and sliced almonds, use a small sauté pan on medium heat. Add the almonds. Keep a close eye on the pan and stir or shake often.

These will only take a couple of minutes and they go from done to burnt in no time flat. As soon as they brown, remove them from the pan.

Repeat with the sesame seeds - they will cook even quicker than the almonds. Because the almonds and sesame seeds cook at different times, I always do them separately.

To make ahead of time

Preparing a chopped Asian chicken salad requires some chopping, but with a bit of planning, it can be a quick and convenient weeknight meal. To simplify the process, I recommend prepping all the vegetables and salad ingredients the night before and storing them in separate containers.

Additionally, you can toast the almonds and sesame seeds in advance, saving you time when you're ready to assemble the salad. When it's mealtime, all you need to do is toss everything together, whip up the dressing, and voila! You have a delicious, healthy, and hassle-free dinner.

Taking a little time for prep work the night before can make dinner preparation a breeze and ensure a satisfying and delicious meal

More delicious salads 

• Caesar Salad
• Italian Chopped Salad
• Tuna Cobb Salad
• Couscous Salad
• Greek Salad
• Asian Cucumber Salad
• Chicken Lettuce Wraps

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

If you love this recipe you'll LOVE all the others in this category. Check out all my salad recipes here!

This recipe was originally posted in February 2015. The pictures and recipe have been updated