Got a jar of All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce in the fridge? You can make this colorful, tangy, umami-packed gluten-free Chinese Chicken Salad for dinner tonight! This salad is topped with slices of crispy Cracklin’ Chicken, so it’s no wonder that this all-in-one supper makes everyone happy!
A healthy twist on Chinese chicken salad
Although most restaurant-style Chinese chicken salads rely on crunchy chow mein noodles or wonton strips to add texture, you won’t miss them in this paleo-friendly version. The combination of crisp veggies, sweet mandarin oranges, Cracklin’ Chicken, toasted almonds, and sesame seeds will more than make up for the absence of stale fried noodles!
All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce is a fab salad dressing!
By now, you should already know that my All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce is truly a workhorse sauce/dressing/marinade for EVERYTHING. The flavor mimics that of a soy sauce based dressing with sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger and garlic but because it’s made with coconut aminos and fish sauce and sweetened with orange juice, this sauce happens to be soy-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free!
Whenever I feel like making a refreshing Asian-inspired salad, I use the sauce as a zippy Whole30-friendly salad dressing. For this dish, I prefer to whisk the sauce with a little avocado oil, but you can keep it oil-free if you prefer a tangier Chinese chicken salad dressing. Want more ideas and inspiration for using All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce? Check out this ever-expanding post!
Can you swap the vegetables in the salad?
Definitely! I like the color and crunch that comes from combining Napa cabbage, purple cabbage, and julienned carrots, but feel free to use your favorite lettuce and raw vegetables. I’ve made this Chinese Chicken Salad successfully with a base of romaine lettuce, green cabbage, baby arugula, and even iceberg lettuce. I also like to throw in sliced cucumbers, radishes, snap peas, snow peas, and julienned red bell pepper if I have them in the fridge.
What other protein can I substitute for Cracklin’ Chicken?
First of all, if you’ve never tried making Cracklin’ Chicken, you’re really missing out! It truly is my favorite protein for this recipe, and my kids wouldn’t accept anything else. That said, you can use any leftover cooked chicken (e.g., chicken breast) in place of it. This salad can also be made with roasted shrimp, cooked salmon, fried tofu, and leftover steak. (But come on: Make some Cracklin’ Chicken!)
Can I make this dish ahead of time?
Sadly, salads don’t get better with time. In fact, the longer the salad sits, the more watery the dressed cabbage will get. Plus, you’ll lose the crunch of the toasted almonds and sesame seeds. If you must make this salad in advance, prep all the ingredients ahead of time and combine them right before you serve the salad. Personally, I do eat any leftovers (because waste not, want not!), but the salad doesn’t taste quite as magical once it’s no longer fresh.
Ingredients
- Cracklin’ Chicken (air fryer or stovetop method): There really is no substitute for this fabulously crunchy and flavorful chicken! (But I do have some protein subs listed above if you want an inferior salad.)
- All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce: The easiest Asian salad dressing!
- Avocado oil (optional): I like to whisk All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce with some avocado oil for a more balanced dressing.
- Napa cabbage, cored and sliced thin: Savoy cabbage or regular green cabbage also work!
- Red cabbage, cored and sliced thin
- Carrots
- Green onions / scallions
- Fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- Canned Mandarin oranges in 100{e2a5b4b931a58f767699fdd430343808d146204888b8453b8c1ba375f5682a1f} juice (I buy Native Forest brand)
- Toasted almonds slivers: You can substitute toasted cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, or other nuts.
- Toasted sesame seeds
I have a whole blog post about all the ways you can use it!
Too many choices? Make one of these recipes:
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2022).
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
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Make some Air Fryer Cracklin’ Chicken or OG stovetop Cracklin’ Chicken and set it aside. Don’t worry, the crispy chicken will still be amazing at room temperature.
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While the chicken is frying, measure out the All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce and whisk in the avocado oil if you’re using it. Taste the dressing on a piece of cabbage and add more avocado oil if desired.
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In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, scallions, and cilantro.
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Pour in most of the salad dressing and toss well. Taste for seasoning and add more dressing if needed.
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Transfer the dressed greens to a serving platter and dot the salad with the mandarin oranges. Place the Cracklin’ Chicken on top of the salad.
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When you’re ready to serve the Chinese Chicken Salad, sprinkle the toasted almonds and sesame seeds on top. Serve immediately!
Calories: 613kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 41g | Fiber: 6g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
