This Chinese chicken salad has become a regular in our lunch rotation for good reason. It’s quick to prepare, holds up well in the fridge for several hours (or even overnight if you keep the dressing separate), and delivers big flavor in one bowl — a true lunchtime win. The salad features a crisp slaw base and a bright ginger-sesame dressing that makes every bite irresistible. It’s simple, satisfying, and ideal for weekday meals.
Making a Chinese Chicken Salad that lasts:
This salad uses a slaw-style base, which makes it hearty and resilient. Unlike delicate greens, shredded cabbage holds its texture after dressing, so the salad stays crisp for a few hours in the refrigerator and can even keep overnight when stored properly. For maximum convenience, prepare the cabbage, herbs, nuts, and proteins ahead of time and store the dressing separately — then toss everything together when you’re ready to eat.
Flavor secrets – Chinese Chicken Salad:
What elevates this salad are the fresh herbs. While many recipes include green onions, we also add mint and cilantro for a fragrant, bright lift. Tossing these herbs into the slaw gives the salad an herbaceous pop in every forkful and complements the nutty sesame and zesty ginger in the dressing.
The dressing – Chinese Chicken Salad:
This dressing is ginger-forward with a toasted sesame backbone. Use freshly minced ginger for the best zing, and be sure to choose toasted sesame oil rather than plain sesame oil — the toasted variety has a deeper, richer aroma that shines through. The dressing balances sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, a touch of sugar, and a little garlic for savory depth.
Peeling the ginger:
Ginger can look tricky, but peeling it is easy. Use the back of a spoon to scrape off the skin — this removes the thin outer layer without wasting the flesh and works well around the root’s nooks and knobbly bits.
Chinese Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- 4 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 small garlic clove minced
- 2 teaspoons ginger minced
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- Pepper
Salad
- 4 cups green cabbage shredded
- 1 cup red cabbage shredded
- 1 cup carrot shredded
- 6 green onions thinly sliced
- ½ cup mint thinly sliced
- ½ cup cilantro thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- ½ cup cashews
- Bell pepper optional
- Shredded chicken optional
- Shredded sushi ginger optional
Instructions
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Whisk all dressing ingredients together until combined, or combine in a jar and shake well.
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Place the shredded cabbages, carrot, green onions, herbs, sesame seeds, cashews, and any optional add-ins in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly to coat. Add shredded chicken if desired and toss to combine.
