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Inspired by a restaurant favorite but seriously lightened up, this Chinese Chicken Salad is a salad recipe for salad skeptics. Crispy Asian chicken tenders, toasted almonds, and chow mein noodles make it impossible to resist, while a creamy, sweet-and-zippy dressing ties it all together. 

the best chinese chicken salad recipe

Why You’ll Love This Easy Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe

  • Fresh and Flavorful. Salads always bring the fresh factor, but flavorful? Wellll, not always. This Chinese chicken salad, however, has both covered. This is not a bowl of greens with a handful of sad croutons! Instead, it has the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors, along with a variety of textures, from crisp greens to crunchy noodles and tender chicken.
  • A Meal-Worthy Salad. This isn’t the kind of salad you add to a dinner plate alongside a serving of Breaded Pork Chops. It’s definitely a complete meal, just like my Cobb Salad, Taco Salad, and Nicoise Salad.
  • Copycat Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad. If you’ve never had the Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad, you should know that it’s delicious. It was my favorite all through high school—the first entree salad I ordered from a restaurant, so it has a special place in my heart. (Yes, there’s a place in my heart for salad.) Years later, it’s still flagged as a customer favorite on the Applebee’s menu.
  • But Healthier! So the thing about many restaurant salads is that they have a shocking number of calories for a single meal. My homemade version is just as addictive, but it is actually good for you and reasonable in the calorie department too.
large bowl of easy chinese chicken salad with dressing

5 Star Review

“This salad is bang-on to my memories of the Applebee’s salad. I love everything about it. It is absolutely delicious.”

— Amanda —

How to Make Chinese Chicken Salad

The Ingredients

For the Salad:

  • Romaine Lettuce. You could certainly use another salad green, but I like romaine because it has that crisp factor, but it brings a little more to the table than your standard head of iceberg lettuce.
  • Shredded Red Cabbage. You can use your food processor to do the shredding, or buy it pre-shredded at the grocery store. (A sharp chef’s knife also does the job.)
  • Shredded Carrots. Again, you can DIY it or buy them. Up to you!
  • Crispy Asian Chicken Tenders. This recipe uses half a batch of these chicken tenders, so you can make them for dinner the night before and reserve what you need for this Chinese chicken salad.
  • Sliced Almonds. Toast them to bring out their flavor.
  • Chow Mein Noodles. These might just be the best part. (Okay, maybe tied with the chicken and dressing.)

Substitution Tip

Crispy wonton strips are also excellent in this salad, or use ramen noodles for a Chinese Chicken Salad with ramen noodles! Can’t get enough? You’ll love my Ramen Salad.

  • Green Onions. For mild onion flavor.

For the Chinese Chicken Salad Dressing:

  • Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt. The Applebee’s version is made with mayo, but I lighten things up with yogurt.
  • Honey. Adds the sweet factor we all expect in an Asian-inspired salad dressing.
  • Rice Vinegar. Be sure to use unseasoned rice vinegar, which doesn’t have any added sweeteners.
  • Dijon Mustard. Along with the vinegar, this adds some zip and pep.
  • Sesame Oil. Toasted sesame oil adds some depth to the flavor of the dressing.
  • Kosher Salt. Always my choice for cooking. 
  • Nonfat Milk. Only if you need to thin the dressing a bit.

The Directions

chinese chicken salad dressing recipe
  1. Make the Dressing. Whisk the ingredients together and season to taste.
colorful chinese chicken salad in a bowl
  1. Toss the Salad. Use your biggest bowl.
baked chicken in the oven for chinese chicken salad recipe
  1. Add the Chicken. Arrange it over the top of the salad.
a large platter of chinese chicken salad applesbees copycat
  1. Drizzle on the Dressing. Pour it all on or just add a small amount and let everyone add additional dressing as desired.
chinese chicken salad with toppings and easy dressing
  1. Finish. Sprinkle on the chow mein noodles, almonds, and green onions. ENJOY!

Recipe Variations

Storage Tips

  • To Store. This salad is best enjoyed the day it is made, but you can store it in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • To Make Ahead. If you’re hoping to make this salad ahead for a party or easy lunches, you can individually prepare and store the ingredients. Prepare the chicken tenders, dressing, and all the salad ingredients except for the almonds and chow mein noodles. Store the lettuce and dressing in separate containers in the refrigerator, and store the almonds and chow mein noodles at room temperature. Combine and toss when ready to eat.
easy chinese chicken salad recipe with toppings

What to Serve with Chinese Chicken Salad

  • Large Measuring Cup. I love using liquid measuring cups for mixing sauces and dressings. They’re just the right size and the spout makes it easy to pour.
  • Mixing Bowls. You’ll need a large bowl for tossing the salad; I love this set because the bowls also work for serving.
  • Whisk. A fork will work to mix up the dressing, but a whisk will do the job faster.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

  • Dry the Lettuce and Veggies Well. If there’s water clinging to the vegetables, they’ll water down your salad dressing and give you a limp, soggy salad. No one wants that!
  • Serve the Dressing on the Side, If Needed. If you’re planning on leftovers or you’re setting out this salad for a party, I recommend serving the dressing on the side to keep all the ingredients fresh and crisp.
  • Let the Chicken Cool Just a Bit. You want it warm when you add it to the salad, but not just-out-of-the-oven-blazing-hot. This will also help keep the lettuce leaves from wilting.
an easy and healthy recipe for chinese chicken salad

Chinese Chicken Salad

4.57 from 23 votes
This fresh and filling Chinese chicken salad with romaine, cabbage, carrots, crunchy noodles, and crispy chicken is one of the most delicious salads you'll ever eat!

Prep: 20 minutes
Total: 20 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Salad:

  • 5 cups chopped romaine lettuce about 1 head
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded red cabbage
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
  • 8 Crispy Asian Chicken Tenders
  • 1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds
  • 1/3 cup chow mein noodles
  • 2 green onions chopped

For the Dressing:


Instructions
 

  • Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl or large measuring cup, combine the Greek yogurt, honey, vinegar, mustard, sesame oil, and salt. Taste and add more salt as desired. If the dressing is too thick for your liking, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, until the desired consistency is reached.
  • In a large mixing bowl, toss the romaine, red cabbage, and carrots. Arrange the chicken tenders on top. Drizzle with the dressing. Sprinkle with the chow mein noodles, almonds, and green onion. Enjoy immediately.

Notes

  • TO STORE: This salad is best enjoyed the day it is made, but you can store it in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • TO MAKE AHEAD: If you’re hoping to make this salad ahead for a party or easy lunches, you can individually prepare and store the ingredients. Prepare the chicken tenders, dressing, and all the salad ingredients except for the almonds and chow mein noodles. Store the lettuce and dressing in separate containers in the refrigerator, and store the almonds and chow mein noodles at room temperature. Combine and toss when ready to eat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 4)Calories: 370kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 29gFat: 11gCholesterol: 106mgFiber: 6gSugar: 16g

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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  1. I made this for company and it was delicious! I never go to Applebee’s so had never had their version but this looked so good I had to try it. I will honestly say I am not one those people who typically thinks baked chicken tenders are as good as fried…they’re just not the same. What makes these baked tenders a winner is the flavor! I actually marinated over 24 hours (oops) and would do it that way again after tasting how much the marinade flavored the chicken. I did add a little ginger, garlic and soy sauce to the dressing but I’m sure it would have been great without that modification too. My guests loved it too, thank you!!4 stars

    1. Julie, I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for the tip about the 24 hour marinade! I so appreciate that you took the time to leave this awesome feedback.

    1. Hi Ruhi! I’m not sure where you are located, but they are available at most grocery stores in the U.S. in the Asian food aisle. I’m sure you can find them online too!

  2. This salad is bang-on to my memories of this Applebee’s salad. I love everything about it. It is absolutely delicious. My only criticism that makes me back it off by one star is that the chicken doesn’t reheat great and the salad dressing is really only good for about one extra day. So, if you have enough people to feed, no problem. But leftovers aren’t nearly as good as the same day.4 stars