Chinese Chop Salad (Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe) Recipe
A fresh and flavorful Chinese Chop Salad featuring crisp coleslaw mix, broccoli slaw, tender cooked chicken, crunchy cashews, and a tangy Asian-inspired dressing with ginger, lime, and a touch of spice. Perfect as a quick and healthy lunch or light dinner, this salad combines vibrant textures and bold flavors in just 20 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 14-ounce bag coleslaw mix
- 6 ounces broccoli slaw or shredded carrots
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2/3 cup salted cashews or peanuts
Dressing
- Juice from 1 lime (about 2 Tablespoons)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh grated ginger
- 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons honey
- 2 Tablespoons gluten free soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sambal oelek or another type of Asian spicy sauce
- 6 Tablespoons avocado oil or another type of neutral-tasting oil
Instructions
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large salad bowl, add the coleslaw mix, broccoli slaw or shredded carrots, chopped cooked chicken, thinly sliced green onions, chopped fresh cilantro, and salted cashews or peanuts. Toss lightly to distribute ingredients evenly.
- Prepare Dressing: In a small liquid measuring cup or bowl, whisk together lime juice, fresh grated ginger, rice vinegar, honey, gluten-free soy sauce, sambal oelek (or preferred Asian spicy sauce), and avocado oil until the dressing is smooth and well incorporated.
- Toss Salad with Dressing: Pour the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients in the large bowl. Mix thoroughly to ensure the salad is evenly coated with the flavorful dressing.
- Serve or Store: Serve the salad immediately for best freshness and texture, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. The salad can be stored chilled for up to 3 days, but dressing the salad just before serving is recommended to maintain crispness.
Notes
- Use cooked chicken from leftovers or rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- Adjust sambal oelek quantity to control the heat level of the dressing.
- Substitute nuts with toasted almonds or sunflower seeds for different crunch options.
- This salad is best served fresh but can be prepared a few hours ahead and refrigerated.
- Gluten-free soy sauce makes this recipe suitable for gluten-sensitive diets.
