Chinese Chicken Salad
This Chinese chicken salad is crunchy, fresh, and packed with flavor. Purple cabbage, crisp cucumber, carrot ribbons, and shredded rotisserie chicken get tossed in a simple sesame-ginger dressing that's sweet, tangy, and savory.
Chinese Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 1/2 head purple cabbage (thinly sliced)
- 2 large carrot (shaved into ribbons)
- 1 cucumber (thinly sliced)
- 2–3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- Sesame seeds (for topping)
Dressing
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1½ tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1½ tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
Instructions
- 1
Add the rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, maple syrup, and grated ginger to a small bowl or jar. Whisk or shake until well combined.
- 2
Add the sliced cabbage, carrot ribbons, cucumber, and shredded chicken to a large bowl.
- 3
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- 4
Top with sesame seeds and serve immediately, or let the salad sit for 10–15 minutes to let the flavors come together.
Lauren's Note
- Ginger tip: If you freeze your fresh ginger, it's easiest to grate it straight from frozen using a Microplane. There's no need to peel it first—the skin stays behind as you grate.
- Feel free to add any extra vegetables you have in your fridge. Bell peppers, edamame, scallions, snap peas, or shredded broccoli stems would all work well.
- Leftover rotisserie chicken makes this especially quick and easy, but any cooked shredded chicken works.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! You can prep the vegetables, chicken, and dressing ahead of time. For the best texture, keep the dressing separate and toss everything together just before serving.
Once dressed, the salad is best within 1–2 days. If you keep the dressing separate, the undressed salad can last for several days.
Fresh ginger gives the dressing the best flavor, but you can substitute ground ginger if needed. Start with a small amount and adjust to taste.
