When it comes to “Asian Fusion”, there’s nothing more classic than a good ‘ol Chinese Chicken Salad recipe. You’ve got Eastern Asian flavors perfectly married together with a Western World twist that simply makes your tastebuds swoon. Grab a fork, my friends. It’s about to get delicious up in here.
I’m a big fan of fusion recipes and I make them quite a bit. Often when thinking about what I’m going to whip up for dinner, I pop into my fridge and pantry… then come up with something with items I already have on hand. I hate for things to go to waste, so I’m a firm believer that you don’t necessarily have to go to the grocery store to make something yummy at home. Get creative! Some examples of these meals include my Crispy Cornflake Chicken Sandwiches with Maple-Miso Sauce, these Thai Chicken Meatballs with Turmeric and Herbs, and this Korean Crab Cake Sandwich. All are incredibly delicious and I encourage you to give them a try.
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INGREDIENTS FOR THIS RECIPE:
The whole inspiration behind this recipe was a leftover can of Mandarin Oranges I had in my fridge. True story. I grew up eating similar salads to this – which I think we all did – at The Cheesecake Factory or Applebee’s when I was in high school, to Chinois in Santa Monica when I lived in Hollywood. Different establishments serve this meal in different ways… but here’s how I make my own version at home.
TO MAKE THE SALAD:
- Springer Mountain Farms Chicken Breast Chunks
- Romaine Lettuce
- Shredded Cabbage
- Matchstick Carrots
- Mandarin Oranges
- Slivered Almonds
- Pepita Seeds
- Wonton Strips
- Green Onions
- Cilantro
FOR THE DRESSING:
- Reserved Mandarin Orange Syrup
- Rice Vinegar
- Avocado Oil
- Toasted Sesame Oil
- Liquid Aminos
- Ginger
- Garlic Clove
- Sesame Seeds
- Salt + Pepper
I always have a bag of Springer Mountain Farms Chicken Breast Chunks or Strips in my freezer, as my oldest son is OBSESSED with them. Honestly, they’re the best crispy chicken I’ve ever had from the freezer aisle… as they’re so insanely crispy and taste out-of-this-world fantastic. Either of these will work in this recipe, I just like to chop them up after they’ve been cooked to create smaller pieces for the salad. Added bonus for my gluten-free friends – they’re GF friendly! Plus, I like to air fry them or bake them… so no oil-frying required! Join the SMF Flock by clicking here!
POPULAR VARIATIONS:
CHICKEN: While I love the crispy factor of the chicken breast chunks, you can also substitute that with shredded chicken breasts, thighs, or utilize Springer Mountain Farms’ Fully Cooked Breast Strips. Oh, you could also make your own rotisserie chicken and use leftovers here as well.
LETTUCE: This salad always has a combination of shredded cabbage and usually romaine, but you could also swap the romaine out for another crunchy variety like green leaf or little gem. Other options include adding in some radicchio, frisée, or endive for a hint of bitterness.
FRUIT: I like to go traditional and use mandarin orange segments that have been stored in light syrup. Then to bring in more flavor, I save some of the syrup to make the dressing with. However, you could also swap these out for another citrus fruit you enjoy or even mangos.
NUTS & SEEDS: We always have slivered almonds on hand, so I go with those. Feel free to use a different cut though, like sliced, chopped, or whole (then chop them yourself). This also tastes great with cashews! The pipitas here aren’t mandatory, I just had some in my pantry and thought they’d add a nice extra crunch.
WONTON STRIPS: I like to make my own strips but slicing wonton wrappers and frying them for a few minutes in peanut oil, but you can also buy them already made at most grocery stores. Alternately, you can switch these out with crispy chow mein noodles (I usually find these in a can in the nuts aisle).
MORE RECIPES YOU’LL ENJOY:
20-Minute Mongolian Ground Beef Dinner
Mind-Blowing Gochujang Chicken Thighs
Refreshing Creamy Peanut Butter Cucumber Salad
Baby Romaine Crunch Bowl with Creamy Sesame Dressing
Easy and Delicious Coconut Rice
Roast Beef “Sandwich-Sushi” on Crispy Rice Cakes
Satay Peanut Butter Chicken Skewers
Grilled Sesame Ginger Chicken with Scallions
Bite-Sized Korean Beef Cream Cheese Wontons
Thai Red Curry Chicken with Stir Fry Noodles
VIEW ALL RECIPES BY CLICKING HERE!
East Meets West Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
TO MAKE THE SALAD:
- 12 Springer Mountain Farms Chicken Breast Chunks
- 2 cups Shredded Romaine Lettuce
- 3 cups Shredded Cabbage
- 1/2 cup Matchstick Carrots
- 15 oz. Canned Mandarin Oranges, drained and syrup reserved
- 1/2 cup Slivered Almonds
- 1/4 cup Salted Pepita Seeds
- 1.5 cups Crispy Wonton Strips, or more/less to preference
- 4 Green Onions, sliced
- 1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
FOR THE DRESSING:
- 2 tbsp. Reserved Mandarin Orange Syrup
- 1/4 cup Rice Vinegar
- 2 tbsp. Avocado Oil
- 3 tbsp. Toasted Sesame Oil
- 1 tbsp. Liquid Aminos
- 1 tbsp. Ginger Puree
- 1 Garlic Clove, minced
- 2 tsp. White Sesame Seeds
- Salt + Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Place the chicken chunks on a lined baking sheet and bake for 16 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
- While the chicken bakes add the rest of the salad ingredients to a large bowl.
- Place all ingredients for the dressing in a mason jar and shake to combine.
- Once the chicken is cooked, slice into desired size pieces and place on top of the salad. Drizzle desired amount of dressing and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
NOTES ON THIS RECIPE:
- I prefer mandarin oranges packed in light syrup, otherwise I find them too sweet for both the salad and dressing.
- Your local grocer should have bags of matchstick carrots in the produce section but if you need/want to cut your own, simply cut 1 medium-sized carrot into thinly sliced strips before adding to this recipe. Don’t forget to peel it first!
- I prefer liquid aminos for the dressing because it contains less sodium, but low sodium soy sauce will work too. I personally haven’t tried coconut aminos but I’m guessing that would also do the trick.
This post is sponsored in partnership with Springer Mountain Farms. Per the usual, all opinions here are mine alone and I would never recommend a product that I did not immensely enjoy myself. Thank you for supporting the brands that support SliceOfJess.com!
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