This Asian inspired Chopped Chicken Salad recipe is crazy easy to put together using a few easy short cuts and you will love every bite! It has the perfect combination of tender chicken mixed in with crunchy ramen noodles and fresh cabbage. There are very few salad recipes which my whole family will eat, but this is one of them. It is most definitely a crowd pleaser that you can take to a barbecue or potluck and leave with an empty dish.
We are mid-move right now and currently staying in Texas where it is nice and toasty outside with 100+ degree days! We are originally from here, but have been gone for years well over double digits. And one thing will never change. Texas has the BEST food! I mean as soon as we cross the border, we start eating our way through the state. The Tex-Mex, the BBQ, the tacos, and this might sound a little crazy because it is not something that Texas is known for but even the donuts are better in Texas! (Seriously, if you visit Texas find a hole in the wall donut place, probably called DONUT, in a strip mall and then most definitely order one of everything!) You can see some of our food adventures on my Instagram stories where I have been sharing them!
We have eaten so much, and even though we aren’t quite done yet (we are coming for you kolaches and Freebirds) I can already feel my pants getting much more snug. You know the feeling. It’s not fun. It is about time I reincorporate some homemade meals on the healthier end of the spectrum and this salad is such an easy one!
I have been making this recipe longer than we have even been married, but as times have gotten much busier with 3 kids and demanding jobs, I have changed it up a little to be quicker and easier to get on the table fast. I use a couple of notable short cuts in this recipe to make it really quick and easy. First, instead of chopping up multiple kinds of cabbage and carrots, now I just grab a bag of coleslaw mix. You can usually pick it up in the salad section of any grocery store. It has regular cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots all perfectly chopped already to bit sized pieces and is generally the perfect amount for a family sized salad.
The second short cut I take is using a rotisserie chicken. I have shared a couple of rotisserie chicken recipes and have quite a few more to share over the coming weeks. I love using them because you get so much flavor and a good portion of meat for a reasonable price and you skip all the long cook time of meat so you can get the meal fixed quickly. Also, they are generally very lean and a healthy choice. Using the rotisserie chicken for this salad works especially well since you don’t need a ton of meat so you can use up left overs, or have enough left for making another meal for another day.
Asian Chopped Chicken Salad Recipe – Step by Step
I will walk though the recipe with you step by step below. If you just want the recipe card, you can scroll to the bottom of this post and find it there!
Ingredients:
For the salad
- 1 (3oz) package chicken flavored ramen. You can use the regular or creamy flavor. You could probably also try different flavors as the seasoning is used to coat the crispy noodles and many different flavors would probably compliment the flavors of the salad. Let me know in the comments if you try something new!
- 1/4 cup butter- You might could get by with as little as 1/8 cup if you are wanting to lighten it up a little
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds- You can use more or less to taste
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced almonds- You can really use any shape you like. Just keep an eye on them as the cook because different thicknesses will cook differently.
- 1 package coleslaw mix- You can grab this in the salad section of pretty much any grocery store. It will contain green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots pre-shredded for convenience.
- 5 green onions, chopped- Use more or less to taste here. I love the tang so I frequently add more if it is just for me, but less if I know my kids are eating it.
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken, chopped- You can use leftovers from the day before or get a new chicken and then use the rest with one of my other rotisserie chicken recipes the next day or later in the week
For the dressing
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce- Feel free to use low sodium
- 2 Tbsp white sugar
Instructions
- Heat a skillet to medium heat and melt the butter. Then break up the ramen noodles into small bite-sized pieces and place them in the skillet with the butter. Cook 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until they are lightly browned. Then add the almonds and sesame seeds and continue to cook, stirring frequently, 1-2 minutes or until the entire mixture is lightly toasted. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the chicken flavor seasoning packet from the ramen noodles until evenly mixed. Set aside.
This is the most demanding step of the recipe, and really it is very quick. The trick here is just to keep a close eye on this because it seems like they are cooking and all is just the same, but then all of a sudden it will start to toast all at once and if you aren’t paying attention it can burn really quickly. Also, make sure to do the noodles first, then add the almonds and sesame seeds just as you see the first signs of browning. The thin almonds and sesame seeds only take a minute to toast up so you won’t be able to have them in there as long as the noodles with out them burning.
- In a bowl or mason jar, mix the vegetable oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar together until sugar is dissolved and ingredients are combined. I personally love to do this in a mason jar. I pour it all in and just shake, shake, shake, until it is all mixed. It will separate fairly quickly so if you don’t use it right away, but if that happens, just give it a quick shake before you are ready to pour it on and it will be all fixed.
- Pour the coleslaw mix into a large bowl and top with the chicken, onions, and noodle mixture. Pour dressing over top and toss the salad to coat. You may not use all of the dressing in the salad but generally I use most of it. If you have extra, you can put the lid on the mason jar (or place it in an airtight container) and put it in the fridge ot use for the next few days.
- Serve immediately. This is really an important part! If you are serving for dinner you might want to do it as everyone is sitting down, or if it is for a pot luck, then wait until you arrive. The noodle mixture does stay crispy for a good amount of time, but if it sits for an extended period of time or you put the leftovers in the fridge overnight, they will be soggy in the morning. If you know you aren’t going to eat it all, I would recommend mixing just what you plan to serve for that meal, then storing the rest separately in the fridge until you are ready to eat it.
This recipe is perfect for a hot summer day or when you are looking for a crowd pleaser! Even my kids love it with the sweetness of the dressing combined with the salty crunch of the noodles. Either way, I hope you and your family love this quick and easy meal as much as we do. If you get a chance to try it, make sure to let me know in the comments or tag me in a photo on Instagram (@easyfamilyrecipes) so I can see your delicious creations. Nothing makes me happier than seeing others love the recipes as much as I do! Enjoy!
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Asian Chopped Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- For the salad
- 1 3oz package chicken flavored ramen
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced almonds
- 1 package coleslaw mix cabbage, red cabbage, carrots
- 5 green onions chopped
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken chopped
- For the dressing
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp white sugar
Instructions
- Heat a skillet to medium heat and melt the butter. Then break up the ramen noodles into small bite-sized pieces and place them in the skillet with the butter. Cook 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until they are lightly browned. Then add the almonds and sesame seeds and continue to cook, stirring frequently, 1-2 minutes or until the entire mixture is lightly toasted. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the chicken flavor seasoning packet from the ramen noodles until evenly mixed. Set aside.
- In a bowl or mason jar, mix the vegetable oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar together until sugar is dissolved and ingredients are combined.
- Pour the coleslaw mix into a large bowl and top with the chicken, onions, and noodle mixture. Pour dressing over top and toss the salad to coat.
- Serve immediately and ENJOY!
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
Melissa @ Served Up With Love says
What an amazing recipe. I need to try this one out at our next cookout!
Laura says
This would be awesome for a potluck or picnic!
Pam Henderson says
Tried this recipe this weekend. Have made this for years without the chicken and butter. My husbands family always asks me to make this for any family get togethers. There are a total of 54 people so I have to make 4 recipes each time. I never toasted the Ramen noodles before and used Asian noodles. When trying this recipe I didn’t use butter, instead I used Pam to keep noodles from sticking also used grilled chicken. Awesome! My mother-in-law said this is her new favorite quick dinner. Thank you.