{{{ The Ultimate Crunchy Chinese Chicken Salad }}}

[Ingredients]

For the Dressing:

    3 tbsp Soy sauce

    3 tbsp Rice vinegar

    2 tbsp Honey (or maple syrup)

    1 tbsp Toasted sesame oil

    1 tbsp Fresh ginger, finely grated

    1 clove Garlic, minced

    ¼ cup Neutral oil (like canola or avocado oil)

For the Salad:

    2 cups Cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie chicken works perfectly)

    4 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped

    2 cups Red or green cabbage, shredded

    1 cup Carrots, shredded or julienned

    3 Green onions (scallions), thinly sliced

    ½ cup Sliced almonds, toasted

    ½ cup Crispy wonton strips or chow mein noodles

    1 tbsp Toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

    Whisk the Dressing: In a small bowl or a mason jar, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Slowly whisk in the neutral oil until the dressing is emulsified.

    Prep the Base: In a large mixing bowl, toss together the chopped romaine, shredded cabbage, and carrots.

    Assemble: Add the shredded chicken and sliced green onions to the bowl.

    Toss and Garnish: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together until well coated. Just before serving, fold in the toasted almonds, sesame seeds, and crispy wonton strips so they stay crunchy.

    Pro Tip: If you are making this ahead of time for meal prep, keep the dressing and the crunchy bits (almonds and wonton strips) separate until you are ready to eat. This keeps the salad from getting soggy!