Crunchy Asian Chicken Salad with Noodles
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Easy main dish salads like this Asian Chicken Salad recipe are a staple in my menu rotation. It’s made with fresh veggies and tender chicken, mixed with a sweet and tangy salad dressing, then topped with crunchy chow mein noodles and almonds. It’s perfect for a quick lunch or a light weeknight dinner.
This salad, or variations of it, were made popular by the casual dining restaurant, Applebee’s. Over the years, it’s been seen in a number of different styles, but they all come back to something that includes salad greens, chicken breasts, crunchy noodles or wontons, and a tasty dressing.
We’re sharing tips to help you get the best results with this recipe. If you don’t need the tips, scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and a printable recipe card.
My version of this popular salad is simple, light, easy to prepare and hearty enough to stand on its own. It’s super customizable so you can use ingredients you have on hand or adjust the recipe for picky eaters.
It’s a great choice for using leftover rotisserie chicken. Or you can use my easy meal prep chicken method and have chicken on hand at all times.
For more Asian-themed salad recipes be sure to check out my copycat Panera Thai chicken salad and baby bok choy salad.
Asian Chicken Salad Ingredients
For the Salad
- Lettuce – the base of the salad, you want to use a crunchy variety like iceberg, romaine or even Napa cabbage.
- Cooked chicken breast – use leftover or rotisserie chicken to make this salad quickly.
- Fresh vegetables – we used green onions and shredded carrots.
Crunchy Toppings
- Chow mein noodles – add crunch to the salad and complements the Asian flavors.
- Nuts and seeds – sliced almonds, sesame seeds and poppy seeds add texture and more crunchy goodness.
For the Dressing
- Oil – you can use olive, vegetable or sunflower oil.
- Vinegar – adds a tanginess to the dressing. Rice wine vinegar is the classic choice but you can use apple cider or white vinegar in a pinch.
- Granulated sugar – for a touch of sweetness, it helps balance the savory flavors.
- Salt and black pepper.
Get the complete ingredients & directions in the recipe card below.
How to Make Asian Chicken Salad with Noodles
Prepare the Salad Base
Tear or chop the lettuce into small pieces. Cut or shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Place the lettuce, chicken, onions and carrots in a large bowl and toss to combine.
Make the Tangy Dressing
Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or Mason jar and mix until it’s combined.
Assembling the Salad
When you’re ready to serve, add the dressing and toppers and toss to evenly coat the salad.
Tips for Making Chinese Chicken Salad
- Prepare the chicken 1-2 days ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make the salad.
- To avoid a soggy salad, wait to add the dressing and toppers until just before serving.
Ingredient Substitutions and Variations
This salad is so forgiving, which makes it easy to change up the ingredients to use what you have on hand or based on taste preferences.
- Meat: swap out the chicken for cooked shrimp or thinly-sliced steak.
- Greens: you can use fresh spinach, shredded green cabbage or a bagged salad mix in place of the lettuce.
- Veggies: add other sliced or chopped veggies like red bell peppers or cucumbers for added crunch.
- Fruit: add drained mandarin oranges or pineapple tidbits just before serving for color and a touch of sweetness.
- Dressing: jazz up the dressing with a splash of soy sauce, sesame oil or sriracha sauce.
- Noodles: try using crispy wonton strips or crushed uncooked ramen noodles in place of the chow mein noodles. If using the ramen, break up the noodles and toast them for the best flavor.
- Toppers: cashews and sunflower seeds are tasty additions to this salad.
Can you make this salad ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can cook and slice the chicken, chop the veggies and prepare the dressing up to a day in advance. Just store the salad ingredients and dressing separately in the refrigerator and the toppers at room temperature until you’re ready to assemble and serve the salad.
What to Serve with Crunchy Asian Chicken Salad
Pair this hearty salad with a loaf of crusty bread for a light dinner or lunch. For a complete meal, add a rainbow fruit salad and a bowl of wonton or miso soup for a satisfying meal. If you want to stick with the Asian theme, add a side of potstickers, spring rolls or egg rolls.
How To Store Leftover Salad with Noodles
You’ll want to eat this salad immediately after you’ve combined all the ingredients and added the dressing. But if you anticipate having leftovers I would recommend mixing up just what you need and storing the remaining salad, toppers and dressing separately until serving the rest of the salad.
When stored properly the salad will keep for a couple of days and the dressing will be good for about a week in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Yes! Using a bagged salad is a great option when you’re short on time. Check the mix for freshness then add the dressing and toppers and you’re done!
Dressings like a sesame-ginger blend or an Asian vinaigrette work best with this salad recipe.
Store the greens, mix-ins and dressing separately until serving. When you’re ready to eat, add dressing to the greens and sprinkle the toppings on last.
This crunchy Asian chicken salad with noodles is packed with flavor, quick to pull together and makes for an easy dinner or lunch. And with loads of options to make it your own, it’s sure to be a new family favorite recipe. If you make this recipe be sure to come back and share your spin on it.
More Main Dish Salad recipes…
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Crunchy Asian Chicken Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 head lettuce (Romaine, iceberg or Napa cabbage)
- 3-4 cooked chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (or use leftover or rotisserie chicken)
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 3 green onions, finely sliced
Dressing
- 1-2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/3 cup vinegar, (white, apple cider or rice wine vinegar)
- 1 cup oil, (vegetable, sunflower or olive)
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Toppings
- 5 ounce can Chow Mein noodles
- 4 ounces sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Instructions
For the Salad
- Tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and add to a large bowl.1 head lettuce (Romaine, iceberg or Napa cabbage)
- Slice the chicken and green onions and add to the greens, then add the carrots.3-4 cooked chicken breasts, 3 green onions, 1 cup shredded carrots
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve.
For the Dressing
- Mix the dressing ingredients until blended and store in the refrigerator.1-2 tablespoons sugar, salt, black pepper, 1/3 cup vinegar, 1 cup oil
Before Serving
- Add noodles, seeds and almonds, right before serving.5 ounce can Chow Mein noodles, 4 ounces sliced almonds, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Notes
- Prep time doesn’t include the time it takes to cook the chicken. This recipe is great if you have leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken.
- Ingredient Substitutions and Variations:
- Meat: try cooked shrimp or thinly-sliced steak.
- Lettuce: try fresh spinach, Napa cabbage or a bagged salad mix.
- Veggies: add sliced or chopped veggies like red bell peppers or cucumbers for added crunch.
- Fruit: add drained mandarin oranges or pineapple tidbits just before serving.
- Dressing options: add a splash of soy sauce, sesame oil or sriracha sauce to the dressing.
- Noodles: crispy wonton strips or crushed uncooked ramen noodles can be substituted for the chow mein noodles. If using the ramen, break up the noodles and toast them for the best flavor.
- Toppers: use cashews and sunflower seeds.
- Wait to add the salad toppers and dressing until right before serving.
- This recipe makes quite a bit of dressing and you may not use it all. Add as much as you like, then store the remaining dressing in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- This salad is best eaten immediately. If you anticipate leftovers, only assemble what you need and store the remaining items separately in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Nutritional information will vary based on how much salad dressing you use.
Nutritional Estimate
Nutritional information is provided as a reference, using an online calculator. We recommend verifying the information independently for accuracy.
