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Chinese Chicken Salad
Recipe by Graham
Chinese Chicken Salad is a truly delicious light meal or, using just half the amount of chicken, starter course. This is restaurant quality cooking that you can easily make right at home, except it’s healthier and a million times tastier!
As with all Chinese cookery, preparation is nine-tenths of the job so I always prepare everything first and have all the ingredients handy before I even start cooking.
Chicken With Sesame Seeds 
Chili with Rice Preparation Time: 20 Minutes
Cooking Time: 40 Minutes
Ingredients for Chinese Chicken Salad
If you are not familiar with any ingredients, please check our International Cooking Terms page.
Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements
to serve 6:
6 small
chicken breasts
olive oil
salt and pepper
8 oz
young green asparagus
½
red bell pepper
3
spring onions (a.k.a. scallions or salad onions)
1 tablespoon
white sesame seeds
2
mandarins (or clementines or tangerines)
young spinach leaves, rocket or watercress
FOR THE DRESSING
1 clove
garlic
½ teaspoon
fresh ginger
1 tablespoon
sesame seeds
4 tablespoons
vegetable oil
2 tablespoons
good apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons
light soy sauce
1 tablespoon
sesame oil
½ tablespoon
honey
1 oz
smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon
salt
freshly ground black pepper
How to Cook Chinese Chicken Salad
- Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and freshly ground black pepper and roast for 35 to 40 minutes in a preheated moderate oven (Mk 4 - 400ºF - 180ºC) until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
- Meanwhile make the dressing... Peel and crush (mince) the garlic and peel and grate the fresh ginger. Place all the dressing ingredients in a bowl or jar and whisk until thoroughly mixed. Set aside until the end.
- When the chicken is cooked and cool, remove the meat from the bones (if any), discard the skin and slice the meat crossways in slices about ¼" (6mm) thick. Set aside.
- Cut the asparagus diagonally in lengths of about 1½" (4cm). Blanch them in a pot of boiling salted water for about 5 minutes until crisp-tender, then drain the water and plunge them into ice water to stop them from cooking. Drain and place on absorbent kitchen paper.
- Cut a whole red pepper in two and retain one half for later use. Deseed the remaining half and cut into strips about the same size of the asparagus pieces. Cut the spring onions diagonally into similar lengths to the pepper and asparagus. Gently toast the white sesame seeds for a few minutes until golden brown. Peel and segment the mandarins.
- Place a handful of green leaves (young spinach leaves, rocket or watercress - it's your choice) on each plate. Evenly spread the asparagus, red pepper and spring onion pieces over the leaves. Arrange the sliced chicken breast on top, and sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds over. Give the dressing a final short whisk and drizzle over the chicken and vegetables.
- Arrange a few segments of mandarins around each plate, then serve your Chinese Chicken Salad cold or at room temperature.
GRAHAM'S HOT TIP:
Choose small chicken breasts - about 100g - 120g (4oz - 4½oz) each - so that each plate gets a complete breast
Reviews of Chinese Chicken Salad
 December 21 2014I made this salad for the first time about 2 years. ago. It has been a hands down hit for ANY event I bring it to. I actually get asked to bring it for work pot lucks and the like. For such a simple recipe it packs a ton of flavor!!! Delicious...the best chinese chicken salad recipe I ever made and will probably never use another one. This has become a definite keeper. I love the compliments I get! Thanks for a great recipe julesB (7 reviews) |
 November 04 2014I absolutely loved this recipe! The spiciness of the dressing was just perfect. I added an orange citrus glaze on the chicken which I had from a previous recipe and that kicked it up a notch. I put the dressing on per serving. Even my picky friend who doesn't like spicy dishes or salads loved this one and couldn't stop eating it. This one is definitely a keeper! No more getting a Chinese Chicken salad out when I can make an even more delicious one at home! Mireille (4 reviews) |
July 12 2014 I made this tonight for my husband and myself. I served the dressing on the side as my husband likes to drown his salad and I like mine more on the "just dressed" side. I did change up some of the things - I marinated the chicken in the soy & toasted sesame oil as well as some rice vinegar and then we grilled it. I also used a fresh orange since I don't really like mandarine oranges. We loved this salad - it just got better with each bite. We loved the spicy/sweet dressing.Can't wait to eat it again! Yumm! Helen (4 reviews) |
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| March 18 2014 This is one of the best Chinese Chicken Salad recipes I've come across. I modify it with whatever greens/crunch I have on hand; carrots, iceberg etc. The secret here is the dressing and personally, I buy a Rotisserie roasted Chicken at Whole Foods so I shred that and skip the cooking chicken step. Time management! I also add a little extra Sweet Chili sauce and brown sugar to sweeten up the dressing for my kids. Both hubby and two kiddos (7 and 9) love it! jennifer (2 reviews) |
November 22 2013 The dressing was delicious. I used different ingredients in the salad using things I already had. I cooked the chicken as suggested by the recipe and it worked well. Will definitely make this again! Verushka (4 reviews) |
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