Description
A refreshing and vibrant Chinese Chicken Salad combining crisp romaine and napa cabbage with shredded rotisserie chicken, mandarin oranges, roasted cashews, and a flavorful sesame-ginger dressing. This easy-to-make salad blends sweet, savory, and nutty flavors topped with crispy wonton strips for a delightful crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 1 head romaine, shredded
- 4 cups shredded napa cabbage
- 3 cups leftover shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 (15-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup roasted salted cashews
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cups crispy wonton strips, homemade or store-bought
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Dressing
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons orange marmalade
- 2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, orange marmalade, canola oil, toasted sesame oil, reduced sodium soy sauce, freshly grated ginger, toasted sesame seeds, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper until well combined and smooth.
- Assemble the salad: In a large mixing bowl, add shredded romaine lettuce, shredded napa cabbage, shredded rotisserie chicken, drained mandarin oranges, chopped fresh cilantro leaves, roasted salted cashews, and thinly sliced green onions. Gently toss to evenly distribute the ingredients.
- Toss with dressing: Pour the prepared sesame ginger dressing over the salad mixture. Gently toss again to fully coat all the ingredients with the dressing without bruising the delicate components.
- Add wonton strips: Just before serving, sprinkle crispy wonton strips and the remaining toasted sesame seeds on top to provide a light, crunchy texture contrast.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken with tofu or additional nuts and omit the soy sauce if vegan preferences apply.
- Make wonton strips at home by thinly slicing wonton wrappers and frying until golden brown for extra freshness.
- Use leftover chicken to reduce prep time and add convenience.
- Adjust sweetness by varying the amount of orange marmalade according to taste.
- This salad is best served immediately to maintain crispness of the wonton strips.
