Chopped Asian Chicken Salad with Sweet & Sour Dressing
This colorful and healthy chopped asian chicken salad makes for the BEST easy dinner. With sticky juicy chicken, crunchy veggies, mandarin oranges and a sweet & sour dressing. Dairy free and gluten free.
Today we talk this chopped asian chicken salad!
Super crunchy, super flavorful, super juicy.
I feel like that’s a weird thing to say about a salad, but I swear, it just describes it so well. It’s one of those recipes that is perfect for summer, but I have a feeling you’ll want to make it all year round as well.
So. Let’s back it up a bit. This recipe is coming atcha’ straight from my college days.
One of my good friends (hi niki!) often made this fantastic salad that was like a bright light in the middle of plenty of icky dorm food. It was so simple but so good – lettuce, mandarins, sliced almonds and a homemade sweet & sour dressing.
That salad is the base for today’s recipe.
I tinkered with the dressing (because I couldn’t help myself) and then added several other components to bulk it up and make it a main dish.
In addition to all those awesome original ingredients, it now also features plenty of rainbow colored veggies and teriyaki flavored chicken. Yum-o!
And when served alongside some crusty fresh bread? Meal time perfection.
Tips & Tricks
- First up – let’s discuss how to prep this dish to keep it short and sweet on time. Get the chicken all up in the marinade first. Once that’s done, then go ahead and chop all the veggies and make the dressing. By the time the chicken is ready to cook, the whole salad will be ready to go (and you’ll likely have had time to clean up the kitchen a bit).
- You could absolutely let the chicken marinate longer (up to overnight). I personally can never seem to remember to do this in advance and for this recipe it’s not necessary.
- About the chicken, I know it’s a tad bit unusual to cook it with some of the marinade, but guys, I love doing this! The chicken gets all syrupy and sticky and browned and so good. Plus, most of the marinade cooks off in the pan – you’re just left with some darn good chicken.
- As with all salads, feel free to adjust the amounts of any of the components to your liking. No rules here.
- If you keep the components separate, the salad will hold for leftovers. The veggies are fine together, but be sure to keep the chicken, oranges and the dressing all in their own containers.
Additional Salad Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Dairy Free Taco Salad
- Dairy Free Chicken Salad
- Greek Salad with Roasted Vegetables
- Spinach Power Salad
- Summer Berry Chopped Salad
- Chopped Southwestern Salad
Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

Chopped Asian Chicken Salad with Sweet & Sour Dressing
This colorful and healthy chopped asian chicken salad makes for the BEST easy dinner. With sticky juicy chicken, crunchy veggies, mandarin oranges and a sweet & sour dressing. Dairy free and gluten free.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
For the dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- pinch of red pepper flakes (or to taste)
For the salad:
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- ½ cup thinly sliced green onion
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- 1 (10 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
Instructions
For the chicken:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, olive oil and garlic. Add the chicken pieces to a large ziplock bag, then pour in the marinade. Seal the bag then use your fingers to mix everything together.
- Let the chicken marinate while you prep the dressing and salad components (or about 20 minutes - I usually have some extra time and clean up a bit to hit the 20).
For the dressing:
- Add all the ingredients for the dressing to a small bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
For the salad:
- To a large bowl, add the romaine, cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, green onion, cilantro, almonds and oranges. Set aside.
- Set a large nonstick skillet over medium / medium high heat. When hot, add the chicken pieces to the pan, along with most of the marinade from the bag. Toss to coat then cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the pan with a slotted spoon and let cool for about 5 minutes. Add to the large bowl.
- Pour in the desired amount of dressing and toss to combine. Serve immediately!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 394Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 832mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 5gSugar: 20gProtein: 21g
Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.
This salad has everything I love. I’m about to make it for the second time and I can’t wait to eat it! It has so much flavor, texture and freshness. Love, love, love, it! Thank you!
This makes me so happy to hear!! Thanks so much for letting me know Gabi!!
I love salads that have lots of textures and colors! This sounds like a perfect summer salad!
I admit, I’m dreaming of fall too because I’m so done with the heat! I have a big thing for Asian salads too, so I’m loving this! It’ll keep me cool and satisfy my cravings…and that chicken looks like it’s got some serious flavor! 🙂
Oh, I am SO ready for the seasons to change too. I mean, I like summer and all, but you can’t beat autumn! We eat salads all year round though, so no problem there. This looks like a stunning salad and that dressing sounds yum!
Yes! My thoughts exactly! Thanks Dannii!
Such a pretty and healthy dish Ashley.
I love this beautiful salad Ashley!! SO Fresh and delicious! I also love those almonds on top! What a nice crunch! Hope you’re having a great weekend!
xoxo Cailee!
Ashley, Asian flavors are my absolute FAVORITE!!!! I love the sweet – sour – salty combination and that chicken is glistening ! OMG. I’m salivating! I’m so making this salad!!!!!!
Yup Ashley we are eating lots of salads here too to keep cool! Plus it helps me use of my garden bounty. So excited that you are going to have a bit of a yard so you can grow more next year. And it sounds silly, but I always like my carrots cuts in matchsticks in salads! The appeal. See you after I get back from my no-kids NYC trip next week, I will be on the lookout for a salad just like this when I’m there =)
There is something so appealing about matchsticks in salads! Thanks Laura!
I am all about the crunch, too. Not to mention the color, flavor, and mix of textures in general. I love that you marinade the chicken and the asian flavors are right up my alley. I am trying to embrace my craving for salads and such while summer is here because I know I’ll be thinking soups and stews in no time. Have a great weekend!
Yes! I am trying to enjoy as much summer produce as I can right now! Have a great weekend too Monica!
Recipes that have survived the test of time truly are the best. It’s always nice to have staple meals in life that you keep coming back to. I can definitely see why this one has stuck around since the college days! I’m loving how fresh and flavorful it looks – that dressing? Mega win!
I am so happy to be the inspiration for this post!! As soon as I saw the “sweet and sour dressing,” I was reminded of so many good times in college! I can’t wait to try your upgraded version!
haha the salad and the chicken puffs!! One wasn’t the same without the other! 🙂 Also, I keep meaning to tell you that my mom still makes your salad ALL THE TIME for parties. She’s obsessed with it!
This is one gorgeous salad! It reminds me of the beautiful big salads I’ve had at the cheesecake factory before!
Haha I love fall too but I don’t know if I’m ready for summer to end just yet. I feel like it went by in a flash. It’s been so hot here too though and salads are all I’ve been craving. This salad looks amazing! Love the flavors!
It really has gone by so fast!
What a flavour bursting salad bowl, Ashley. Who doesn’t love Asian flavors? Sweet and spicy — just the way I like. This bright looking salad bowl is exactly what I need to cheer up my mood today when it’s raining outside. Loving so many vibrant colors here.
Thanks Anu! I love the colors too – so happy!
For some reason, I love mandarin oranges in salads. As soon as I see some, I want the salad. And I want it now. This salad looks delightful!
OMG, guuuuurlfriend. I am dreaming of fall too. But then I immediately start to miss summer fruit and produce in my dreams. So I’m torn. But this heat! TOO MUCH! Every time I leave the house I just try to remind myself, at least I don’t still live in FL where it is like this year around. Plus I’m like 20 something days away from getting a super rad neighbor! WOOT WOOT! We can sweat it out together…. or like, eat all the ice cream and stay indoors together. 🙂 Anyways, this salad is fab!! I’m all for eating salad to stay cool, and this one has got it going on!! Love the colors, flavors and textures!! Plus that sweet and sour dressing?! OMG, I need to put that on all the things! Pinned! Cheers, Ashley!
I totally know what you mean! I love the produce but the weather is killing me lately!! haha Yesssss. Let’s go with the ice cream and indoors! 😉
This salad looks awesome! I am loving your photography- the colors are so bright and everything looks absolutely delicious 🙂
I can eat this kind of salad every day! So fresh, healthy and droolicious!
I think I’m going to have to make this tonight! Seriously all the things I love <3
Yay! I love it!
I am looking forward to fall, but not for what comes after that! It’s bittersweet in the midwest! 🙂 I’ve been living off salads this summer, so I need to add this asian one into my routine! Sounds delicious, Ashley! I love all the pretty colors!
haha yeah we don’t really have that problem here! 🙂 Thanks Gayle!