Asian Sesame Chicken Salad

Savor the vibrant flavors of an Asian sesame chicken salad, where crisp greens, tender chicken, and a homemade sesame vinaigrette come together in harmony. Topped with crispy wonton strips and drizzled with a spicy glaze, this salad is a refreshing and satisfying meal.

Watch how to make this

Ingredients

• Lettuce: IRomaine lettuce is the base of the salad, giving it a crisp texture.
• Red cabbage: Adds color and texture to the salad.
• Chicken: The main source of protein in the salad. You can use chicken breast or thighs.
• Snow peas: Adds a crunchy, sweet element to the salad. Other options include snap peas.
• Oranges: Fresh oranges make a difference in taste and quality to the overall salad. However, you can use other citrus such as tangerines, blood oranges, or even grapefruit.
• Avocado: Although avocado is not traditionally found in Chinese chicken salad, it does add a creamy, rich element to this version.
• Almonds: Adds a nutty crunch and depth of flavor.

Substitutions and variations

• Protein: Although chicken is usually the star protein of Chinese chicken salad, you can substitute it with tofu, tempeh, shrimp, or any other protein.
• Greens: You can use any other leafy greens for the base such as spinach, kale, mixed salad greens, or iceberg lettuce. You can also substitute red cabbage with green cabbage or Napa cabbage if desired.
• Other toppings: Substitute almonds with peanuts or cashews if desired. You can also add other toppings such as shredded carrots, chopped bell peppers, and chopped cucumbers.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make the salad dressing

This salad dressing is actually my mom's recipe and I've always loved it. People used to try her dressing and would urge her to sell it because it was so tasty. Even as an adult, I still love it just as much as I did when I was young. And now I'm sharing the recipe with you so you can enjoy it too!

Oh, and did I mention that it's incredibly easy to make? All you have to do is combine sesame seeds, granulated sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic in a Vitamix. While the blender is running, gradually add olive oil until the mixture becomes smooth and emulsified. That's it, folks! Transfer the dressing to a bowl and set it aside.

Step 2: Fry wonton crisps

Next, it's time to make the crispy and flavorful wonton crisps. These strips will completely transform the Asian sesame chicken salad - no more packaged fried chow mein noodles!

To make the strips, first, make the glaze. In a small saucepot, combine granulated sugar, water, sriracha, and a pinch of salt. Place the pot over medium heat and bring the mixture to a simmer, ensuring that the sugar is fully dissolved. In a separate bowl, create a cornstarch slurry by combining cornstarch with water, and then add it to the simmering mixture. Continue to simmer for about a minute until the mixture thickens. Remove the pot from the heat and let the glaze cool completely.

Now, cut egg roll wrappers into ½-inch-thick strips. In a medium pot, heat enough oil to cover the strips to a depth of at least 1 inch. Once the oil reaches a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit, carefully drop the egg roll strips into the oil and fry them until they turn golden brown and crispy. You may need to fry the strips in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried strips and transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.

Drizzle the cooled spicy glaze over the crispy wonton strips and gently toss them to ensure they are evenly coated. The glaze is sticky so if it's easier, you can just drizzle the glaze on top and skip tossing them. Sprinkle black sesame seeds on top and set aside the seasoned wonton crisps.

Step 3: Assemble

Now it's time to bring all the components together. In a large bowl, combine the chopped romaine lettuce, shredded red cabbage, cooked shredded chicken, chopped snow peas, segmented oranges, sliced Persian cucumbers, chopped avocados, toasted sliced almonds, chopped scallions, and chopped cilantro. Add the desired amount of sesame vinaigrette to the salad and toss everything together. You can adjust the amount of dressing based on your personal preference. Once the salad is well coated with the dressing, transfer it to serving bowls or plates.

Top the Asian sesame chicken salad with the sweet chili wonton crisps and dig in!

Ever since I created this recipe, I've prepared this salad more times than I can count. The combination of the crispy wontons, flavorful dressing, and vibrant salad ingredients creates a perfect balance of taste and texture. And the best part? It tastes light and healthy but is still very satisfying!

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: Assemble the salads and keep the salad dressing and wonton crisps on the side. If assembling salads for meal prep, keep the almonds on the top to prevent them from losing their crunchy texture.
• Store: Keep the salad in airtight containers with the dressing stored separately. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. The salad dressing will hold for 1 week. Keep the wonton crisps in an airtight container at room temperature.

Frequently asked questions

More chicken salad recipes

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Recipe

Print Recipe

Asian Sesame Chicken Salad

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: chicken

Servings: 4

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Sesame vinaigrette

• ¼ cup sesame seeds
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic
• ¼ cup olive oil

Wonton crisps

• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 ½ teaspoons water
• 2 egg roll wrappers
• Oil for frying
• 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

Chinese chicken salad

• 3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 2 cups shredded red cabbage
• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
• 1 cup cooked chopped snow peas
• 2 oranges segmented
• 2 Persian cucumbers sliced
• 2 avocados chopped
• ¼ cup toasted sliced almonds
• ¼ cup chopped scallions
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

• Make sesame vinaigrette. Combine sesame seeds, sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic in a blender. With the blender running, slowly add olive oil until well combined and oil is emulsified. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Make wonton crisps. Combine sugar, water, sriracha, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and heat until sugar is fully dissolved. Combine cornstarch and 1 ½ teaspoons water in a small bowl and pour cornstarch slurry into saucepot. Simmer for another minute or until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
• Cut egg roll wrappers into ½-inch-thick strips. Heat enough oil in a medium pot to come up at least 1 inch up the sides. When the oil temperature reaches 350 degrees F, carefully drop egg roll strips and fry until golden brown. You may have to fry the egg roll strips in batches. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer strips to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil.
• Drizzle spicy glaze on wonton crisps and gently toss to coat. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and set aside.
• Prepare salads. In a large bowl, combine chopped romaine, red cabbage, chicken, snow peas, orange segments, sliced cucumber, avocado, almonds, scallions, and cilantro. Add as much vinaigrette as desired and toss to combine. Transfer salad to bowls and top with wonton crisps. Serve immediately.

Notes

Make sure to use egg roll wrappers for the wonton crisps and not wonton wrappers.