Chinese Chicken Salad

A refreshing and crunchy, appetizing salad dish packed with a combination of fusion flavors. This Chinese chicken salad has a unique blend of ingredients, flavors, and texture. A savory salad that is excellent as a side lunch dish or a filling light dinner meal. 

Fusion Dishes  

Fusion dishes are well known throughout many regions of the world, combining different cultural elements. These types of dishes are also popular in restaurants showcasing the diverse style of traditional cuisines. Popular fusion cuisines include Tex-Mex, American Italian, and Asian American. Asian American dishes have grown in popularity and are enjoyed by many people in the states. Fusion salads offer a light and filling blend of unique flavors, combining ingredients and flavors from different cultural cuisines. 

Chinese Chicken Salad 

Chinese chicken salad pairs nicely with a variety of nutritious dishes such as vegetables and rice. This salad also pairs well with a variety of delicious Asian dishes such as steamed dumplings, orange chicken, and lo mein.   

The Chinese chicken salad is a type of fusion salad that blends both American and Chinese cuisines. It is a popular American salad with Asian influences. There are different variations of Chinese chicken salads. The common Chinese chicken salad consists of shredded chicken, cabbage, lettuce, fruit, crunchy noodles, and vinaigrette dressing like sesame ginger dressing. This Chinese chicken salad is made with shredded rotisserie chicken, cabbage, lettuce, cilantro, green onion, mandarin oranges, wonton strips, and sesame ginger dressing.  

Chicken is one of the main ingredients for this dish. It offers a filling meat protein to this salad and flavor. Different boneless chicken cuts can be used for this salad. Precooked chicken is a great alternative to cooking chicken for this recipe. I bought precooked rotisserie chicken from my local supermarket. This is a very convenient option for assembling this salad, as the chicken is cooked, and shredding the chicken is simple. 

Salad Dressing 

Ginger salad dressing pairs great with Chinese chicken salad. Various brands of ginger salad dressing are often available at supermarkets. This salad dressing can also be made at home with a combination of sesame oil, vinegar, honey, and other tasty ingredients, creating a delightful, light salad dressing blend. I opted for a store-bought sesame salad dressing. This dressing was light, mild, nutty in flavor, yet lightly sweet. 
 

Chinese Chicken Salad Ingredients 

Rotisserie Chicken: Pre-cooked shredded chicken is a filling meat protein that provides a blend of roasted deep flavors and a juicy, soft, savory taste to the Chinese chicken salad.  

Cabbage: Fresh shredded cabbage adds a nice mild and crunchy texture.  

Lettuce: Fresh shredded lettuce also adds a fresh, mild, crunchy texture.  

Cilantro: Refreshing herb flavor gives this salad a unique and citrusy taste.  

Green Onion: A mild yet slightly sweet flavor provides a crispy and crunchy texture. Alternatives: chives or shallots. 

Mandarin Oranges (canned mandarin oranges): A sweet and flavorful yet juicy texture provides this salad with a savory, tangy, sweet taste. Alternatives: fresh mandarin oranges or clementines. 

Wonton Strips: A blend of crispy, crunchy texture and slightly salted provide a unique balance between the soft vegetable ingredients and wonton strips, an excellent combination. Alternative: crunchy noodles. 

Sesame Ginger Dressing: Garnish a smooth ginger dressing with a delightful blend of zesty ginger flavors yet a very mild taste of sweetness and nutty flavors. Alternatives: Asian dressing or peanut sauce. 

Chinese Chicken Salad Instructions  

Chicken

Cut the chicken into pieces, then shred the chicken.  

Vegetable Ingredients 

Cut and shred the lettuce. 
Cut and shred the cabbage. 
Cut the green onion into small pieces.
Cut the cilantro into small pieces.

Assemble the Salad Bowl

1. In a bowl, add the shredded lettuce, cabbage, cilantro, and green onion.
2. Add the shredded chicken. 
3. Add the mandarin oranges and wonton strips.
4. Mix the salad ingredients until combined. 

Storage 

Store the Chinese chicken salad without salad dressing in an airtight container or glass container in the refrigerator. Separate the salad dressing from the salad prior to storage. This prevents the salad from becoming soggy and distasteful. 

Thoughts 

Different types of salads in general are great dishes to enjoy as a side dish or even a light main dish. I like trying out fusion dishes, including this salad, because the blended ingredients offer a savory and tasty dish to enjoy. Fusion salads are unique salad dishes to try out as they offer a tasty blend of different cuisines' ingredients. It's great to combine various types of cultural ingredients to create a savory dish. This is why Chinese chicken salad is a delicious salad dish that offers a nice blend of Asian and American ingredients. 

Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 2 cups cabbage
• ½ lettuce
• ½ cup cilantro
• ½ cup green onion
• 1 cup mandarin oranges
• 2 cups wonton strips
• Sesame ginger dressing

Instructions

Cut and shred the ingredients. Cut and shred the rotisserie chicken into small shreds. Cut and shred the cabbage and lettuce. Cut the cilantro and green onion into small pieces. 

Assemble the salad bowl. In a bowl, add the shredded cabbage, lettuce, chicken, cilantro, green onion, mandarin oranges, and wonton strips. Gently toss the salad until fully combined. Then dress the desired salad portion with sesame ginger dressing.