Ingredients
For the Salad
- 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded and chilled
- 3 cups napa cabbage, thinly shredded
- 1 cup red cabbage, thinly shredded
- 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 6 scallions, sliced thin on a diagonal
- 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
For the Dressing
- 1.5 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
- 1/3 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil (like canola)
- 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1.5 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon agave nectar
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
For the Toppings
- 1 cup crispy chow mein noodles
- 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
Cook and Completely Chill the Chicken
The chicken must be cooked and thoroughly chilled ahead of time. Poaching is a good method to keep it moist: place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a pot, cover with salted water, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook off the heat for ~15-20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165F.
Shred the chicken with two forks while it is still warm; it’s much more difficult to shred when cold. Spread the shredded chicken on a plate or in a container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until it is completely cold to the touch.
Make the Dressing
In a medium bowl or a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all the ingredients for the dressing—from the grated ginger to the sugar.
Whisk or shake vigorously until the dressing is smooth and emulsified. The dressing can be made a day or two in advance and stored in the refrigerator; the flavors will meld and improve.
Toss and Serve Immediately
In a very large bowl, combine the cold shredded chicken, both types of cabbage, the romaine lettuce, carrots, scallions, and cilantro.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together until every ingredient is evenly coated.
Divide the dressed salad into bowls. Just before serving, top each bowl with a generous amount of the crispy chow mein noodles and toasted almonds. The toppings will lose their crunch within minutes of hitting the dressing, so they must be added last.
Chinese Chicken Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 3 cups cooked chicken breast shredded and chilled
- 3 cups napa cabbage thinly shredded
- 1 cup red cabbage thinly shredded
- 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 6 scallions sliced thin on a diagonal
- 1/2 cup cilantro roughly chopped
For the Dressing
- 1.5 tablespoons fresh ginger grated
- 1/3 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil like canola
- 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1.5 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon agave nectar
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
For the Toppings
- 1 cup crispy chow mein noodles
- 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a pot and cover with the salted water.
- Bring to a simmer, then cover and remove from the heat for 15-20 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165F.
- Shred the warm chicken using two forks and spread on a plate to chill for at least 2 hours.
- Combine the grated ginger, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, canola oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, agave, pepper, salt and sugar in a jar.
- Shake the jar vigorously until the dressing is smooth and emulsified.
- In a large bowl, combine the chilled shredded chicken, napa cabbage, red cabbage, romaine lettuce, carrots, scallions and cilantro.
- Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss until evenly coated.
- Divide the dressed salad into bowls.
- Top each bowl with the crispy chow mein noodles and toasted almonds just before serving.
