make this easy crispy wonton chicken salad recipe!
You MUST make this easy crispy wonton chicken salad recipe!
can we ever have too many easy chicken dishes?
Well the answer that comes to mind right away is YES. And yet, just when I think I’ve got enough chicken ideas one comes along that is just different enough to add to the mix.
And this is that.
the recent heatwave we had in New York was the perfect opportunity to make this no-cook meal!
My parents still subscribe to The New York Times and my mom will occasionally send me articles that she thinks I’ll find interesting. This time it was an entire supplement devoted to meals that don’t require turning on the stove, grill or oven.
This dish immediately caught my eye because of those crispy wontons – I had to try it!
what ingredients do you need?
In addition to being a no-cook meal, this dinner has a pretty simple ingredient list to boot:
- rice vinegar
- sesame oil
- apricot preserves
- mayonnaise
- soy sauce
- chili powder
- onion powder
- salt
- shredded cooked chicken
- wonton wrappers
- vegetable oil
- romaine hearts
- green onions
- cilantro and mint leaves
have you tried my perfect oven baked chicken yet?
You could easily make this with a rotisserie chicken picked up from the grocery store. But I always have pre-portioned cooked, shredded chicken breast in the freezer. I’ll put it in the fridge the night before to defrost and it’s ready to go when I start dinner prep. It’s so easy, and for our small family I love that I can take out just what I need, without any leftover chicken to deal with. A nice alternative is to poach the breasts instead, which eliminates the oven altogether if you’re starting from scratch.
how do you make it?
I started by washing and spinning dry the chopped romaine hearts. I kept them in the spinner basket in the fridge, covered with a paper towel, while I prepared the rest of the meal.
I used the bowl from the salad spinner (I hate dirtying extra dishes!) to whisk up the dressing, then added the shredded chicken and tossed to coat. I set that aside as well while I made the crispy wontons.
I’m OBSESSED with these crispy wontons!
Not proud to admit this but basically get out of my way when those noodles are served at the Chinese restaurant. And I was today year’s old when I learned that they are WAY too easy to make yourself – and about a million times better!
Just cut up some wonton wrappers into thin strips and fry briefly in hot oil. They get puffed up, golden brown and addictively crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and sprinkle with salt.
O.M.G.
Add the romaine to the bowl with the chicken, along with the scallions, herbs and half of the fried wontons. Toss to coat, place on a serving platter and top with the remaining fried wontons.
I’m already planning on making this again!
I pretty much followed the recipe as written – and we LOVED it – but I can easily see this main course salad adapting to whatever I might have on-hand:
sliced red pepper
cherry tomatoes
blanched green beans
sliced almonds
red cabbage or napa cabbage
mandarin oranges
This is one of my new favorite salads, perfect for a busy weeknight and truly something a little different. Let me know if you try it!
Easy Crispy Wonton Chicken Salad!
Ingredients
For the salad dressing:
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- kosher salt
For the salad:
- 8 ounces shredded cooked chicken
- 8 wonton wrappers
- vegetable oil
- kosher salt
- 2 romaine hearts, coarsely chopped into bite-size pieces
- 4 scallions, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup EACH fresh cilantro and mint leaves, coarsely chopped
Instructions
Make the salad dressing:
- Whisk the dressing ingredients in a large bowl, season with salt.
Make the salad:
- Toss the chicken in the dressing.
- Heat 1 inch of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat to 350 degrees (see Notes, below). Use a sharp knife to cut the wontons into 4 strips in one direction, then in half in the other direction. Cook the won ton strips, stirring frequently, till puffed up and golden brown. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Season with salt.
- Add the romaine, scallions, cilantro, mint and half the crispy wonton strips to the chicken and toss to coat. Top with the remaining wontons and any remaining dressing from the bowl and serve immediately.
Notes
- This recipe originally appeared in The New York Times.
- No kitchen thermometer? No problem! Place a popcorn kernel in the pot along with the oil. Popcorn pops at 355 degrees so when it pops the oil is ready!
Nutrition
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Hi! I'm Sheri!
Welcome to my little corner of the web where you’ll find easy, delicious recipes, the best kitchen hacks and simple tips for turning your home into a clean haven that is free of toxins. So glad you’re here!
