Description
A vibrant and fresh Asian Chicken Salad featuring crunchy Napa cabbage, tender chicken breast, juicy mandarins, creamy avocado, and crunchy toasted almonds, all tossed in a flavorful homemade chili crisp dressing. Perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner, this salad combines sweet, savory, and spicy elements with crispy wonton chips for added texture.
Ingredients
For the Chili Crisp Dressing
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon dried minced garlic
- 1 ½ tablespoons sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon liquid sweetener (honey, monk fruit, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Salad
- 4 small wonton wrappers (omit for gluten-free)
- 4 cups Napa cabbage, chopped
- 3 ½ cups chicken breast, pulled rotisserie or chopped grilled (approximately 16 oz)
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- ¼ cup chopped scallion (about 2-3 scallions)
- 3 small mandarins or clementines, separated into slices
- 5 ounces avocado, sliced
- ¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted
Instructions
- Preheat and Bake Wontons: Preheat your oven to 325°F. Arrange the wonton wrappers on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spray them lightly with cooking spray, and bake for 10-12 minutes until they turn golden and crisp. Once baked, set them aside to cool, then crumble into chips for topping.
- Prepare Chili Crisp Vinaigrette: In a small heat-safe bowl, mix the crushed red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, and dried minced garlic. Heat the sesame oil in a small skillet over medium heat until it becomes hot and aromatic, about 1-2 minutes. Pour the hot sesame oil over the chili flake mixture, letting the seeds sizzle and release their flavors. After this cools slightly, stir in the rice vinegar, liquid sweetener, and kosher salt. Set the dressing aside to cool fully.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl or divided into four individual bowls, layer the chopped Napa cabbage as the base. Add the pulled or chopped chicken breast on top, followed by the chopped cucumber, scallions, mandarin slices, and sliced avocado.
- Finish and Serve: Sprinkle toasted slivered almonds and crumbled wonton chips over the salad. Drizzle generously with the chili crisp vinaigrette just before serving. Toss lightly if desired to evenly coat all ingredients.
- Optional – Leave Feedback: After enjoying your salad, please leave a rating and comment about how you liked the recipe. Your feedback supports our business and helps us continue to provide free, high-quality recipes.
Notes
- For Meal Prep: This salad holds well for later use or meal prep. Add avocado and wonton chips only when ready to serve to maintain freshness and crunch.
- Variations: Double the chili crisp dressing for extra flavor. Use any lettuce if eating the same day instead of Napa cabbage.
- Oranges: Substitute mandarins with any fresh citrus like oranges, Cara Cara, or Sumo mandarins.
- Gluten-Free: Omit wonton wrappers to make this salad gluten-free; it will still be delicious.
- Time Savers: Use store-bought wonton chips and pre-shredded coleslaw mix if short on time.
- Nuts: Swap almonds for peanuts or cashews, or go nut-free using sunflower seeds.
