American Chinese / Chinese American Recipe

Chinese Chicken Salad

Chinese chicken salad is a Chinese American salad with shredded chicken, crisp vegetables, wonton strips or noodles, sesame, and a sweet-tangy dressing.

Recipe at a glance

PurposeHigh-frequency Chinese restaurant menu dish
Cuisine or formatAmerican Chinese / Chinese American
Menu variation ruleProtein may be adjusted without creating a separate recipe family.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
  • 4 cups shredded cabbage or lettuce
  • 1 carrot, shredded
  • Scallions
  • Cilantro, optional
  • Fried wonton strips or crispy noodles
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Method

  1. Prepare chicken and vegetables.
  2. Whisk vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar.
  3. Toss vegetables with dressing.
  4. Add chicken.
  5. Top with crispy strips or noodles.
  6. Serve immediately.

Menu-literacy notes

  • This is a Chinese American dish, not a traditional regional salad.
  • Sesame and fried wheat toppings are common.
  • It is often served cold.

Variations and substitutions

  • For chicken, beef, shrimp, pork, tofu, or mixed seafood variants, keep the same sauce logic and adjust the cooking time for the protein.
  • For allergies or religious dietary needs, check sauces, broth, wrappers, cooking wine, and shared wok or fryer use.
  • For takeout-style dishes, sauce texture matters: the sauce should coat the food rather than become a thin soup.

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