Chinese Chicken Salad with Homemade Dressing
This Chinese chicken salad is savory, lightly sweet and crunchy all at the same time. And it includes an easy homemade peanut sauce dressing.
Ingredients
Crispy Wonton Chips:
- 6 round wonton skins cut in pie-shaped quarters, or strips
- 1/2 cup canola oil
Peanut Sauce Dressing:
- 4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (or chunky peanut butter)
- 1 teaspoon diced fresh ginger root (peeled)
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3-1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons (heaping) hoisin sauce
- 1-1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1-1/2 teaspoons sesame seed oil
- 1/4 cup water
For the Salad:
- 4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
- 2 cups thinly sliced purple (red) cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup sprigs of cilantro cut in thirds
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
- 20 mandarin orange segments (from canned mandarin oranges)
- 2 cups bite size pieces of cooked chicken breast
- 3 tablespoons honey roasted peanuts
- 2 teaspoons black sesame seeds
- Crispy wonton chips
- Peanut sauce dressing
Instructions
Crispy Wonton Chips:
- Heat a medium size skillet on low heat and had the canola oil. When the oil is warm, add a small batch of the cut wontons.
- Using cooking tongs, carefully turn the wontons over when the bottom sides turn a light golden color.
- As soon as both sides are a light golden color quickly remove them from the skillet and lay them on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any residual oil.
- Watch the wontons closely because they cook very quickly. It’s best to cook them a few at a time so they don’t cook faster than you can turn them or remove them from the skillet.
- Continue to cook in batches. Set aside.
Peanut Sauce Dressing:
- In a small to medium size bowl, add all ingredients and whisk together. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in the refrigerator while making the salad.
Assemble the Salad:
- To the serving plates, in layers, add sliced green cabbage, sliced purple cabbage, shredded carrots, cilantro, green onions, mandarin oranges, chicken, honey roasted peanuts and sesame seeds.
- Garnish with crispy wonton chips.
Serve with Peanut Sauce Dressing:
- Serve the salad with a side of peanut sauce dressing or drizzle the dressing on top of the salad and serve.
Video
Notes
TIPS:
- When cooking the wontons - watch them closely because they cook very quickly. If they're cooking too fast, turn the heat down.
- It’s best to cook the wontons a few at a time so they don’t cook faster than you can turn them or remove them from the skillet.