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Miss the Cheesecake Factory luau salad? This copycat recipe layers sweet chili wontons, juicy chicken, sweet mango, fresh peppers, and macadamia nuts into the restaurant salad worth making at home.
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What makes this dish special
A couple of days ago, I shared a copycat recipe for Cheesecake Factory's chicken bellagio dish. That particular meal was one that I wanted to try at the restaurant, but never had. Today I'm sharing another one of their dishes, but one that I had many times before. Cheesecake Factory's luau salad was my first and still favorite salad on their menu. Alas, they don't offer the luau salad anymore, so I have no choice but to make it at home.
Even though I'm a professional chef, I run out of ideas when it comes to preparing salads. Fortunately, this one always satisfies. Now, this salad is no ordinary salad, no, sir. Instead of simply mixing salad greens with chicken and vegetables, this salad is stacked with crispy fried wonton wrappers. These wonton wrappers aren't just fried either; they are brushed with a sweet chili sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Stack those sweet crisps with mango, chicken, peppers, and macadamia nuts, and I promise you, you'll be going back for more!
Recipe
Cheesecake Factory Luau Salad
Ingredients
Wonton crisps
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water plus 2 teaspoons divided
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- oil for frying
- 8 egg roll wrappers
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Salad dressing
- ¼ cup balsamic vinaigrette
- 2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 garlic clove roughly chopped
- 1 small shallot roughly chopped
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
Salad ingredients
- 10 ounces mesclun salad mix
- 1 pound cooked chicken sliced into thin strips
- 1 medium red bell pepper sliced into thin strips
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper sliced into thin strips
- 1 medium mango sliced
- 1 cup sugar snap peas blanched
- 1 medium cucumber chopped
- ½ small red onion chopped
Garnish
- ½ cup thinly sliced carrots
- ¼ cup chopped macadamia nuts
- 4 scallions chopped
Instructions
- Combine granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons of water, Sriracha, and a pinch of salt in a medium sauce pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the sugar has dissolved, stirring frequently. Mix cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of water in a small bowl and add to the sauce. Simmer for 2 more minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Heat enough frying oil in a deep saute pan over medium heat until it comes up 1 inch along the sides of the pan. When the oil reaches 350 degrees F, add egg roll wrapper. Fry until golden brown, flip, and fry until browned on the other side. Remove the wrapper from the oil and place it on a wire rack to drain the excess oil. Repeat with the remaining wrappers.
- Brush the prepared sauce on the fried egg roll wrappers and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Set aside.
- Prepare the balsamic dressing. Blend balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, honey, sesame oil, pepper, garlic, and shallot until smooth. Slowly add oil while the blender is on, emulsifying the oil with the vinegar.
- Assemble the salads. Toss together salad greens, bell peppers, cucumber, red onion, mango, and chicken with salad dressing. Plate a small portion of the salad on each of the four plates. Place a wonton crisp on top, followed by more salad and another wonton crisp. Garnish with macadamia nuts, carrots, and green onions. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Fry wonton crisps
Whenever I order this salad at the Cheesecake Factory, the server always asks if I want the wontons broken or whole. As I mentioned before, this is no ordinary salad, so some might find it odd to find layers of egg roll wrappers in the salad. All you have to do is just dive right in and break into the crispy wrappers; trust me, the salad tastes better than it looks!
When preparing the egg roll wrappers, make sure to keep an eye on them while frying. They will continue to darken even after being removed from the oil, so fry just until golden brown.
Brush the sauce on the fried egg roll wrappers and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. The crisps are best consumed the same day since they do get soft the following day.
Step 2: Prepare salad
For the balsamic dressing, I chose to use my soy balsamic vinaigrette as the base. Blend all of the ingredients, excluding the olive oil.
Then, slowly drizzle in the oil while the blender is on, emulsifying the mixture. Set aside while you prepare the remaining salad ingredients.
For the salad greens, Cheesecake Factory uses a mesclun mix that includes radicchio, arugula, and other greens, but you can use any type of greens.
As for the fresh toppings, I stuck with their original recipe, which includes fresh mango, red and yellow bell peppers, chopped red onion, cucumber, sugar snap peas, carrots, scallions, and macadamia nuts. You can mix it up and swap peas for edamame, add shredded cabbage, or use pickled onions instead of raw.
Step 3: Putting it all together
Chop your cooked chicken and toss it together with the fresh ingredients and salad dressing. I used roasted chicken, but you can use grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, or pulled chicken. You can also substitute chicken with salmon, shrimp, or tofu for a vegetarian version.
Pile a small amount of the salad on each of the plates, place a wonton crisp on top, followed by more salad and another crisp. Finish with shredded carrots, scallions, and macadamia nuts on top.
Even though my version may not be exactly like the Cheesecake Factory version, this variation is still just as delicious. The crisp wontons are key to the luau salad, and the mango, chicken, peppers, nuts, and cucumber don't hurt either. Luckily for me, I made enough of this salad to last me all week!
For more delicious salad ideas, check out this ultimate Mediterranean salad, everything bagel spice citrus salad, and cherry nectarine arugula salad with spiced pecans!
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: You can make the sauce for the wonton crisps and the salad dressing up to 3 days in advance.
- Store: Keep the wonton crisps and salad dressing separate from the salad, if possible, in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More copycat recipes
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