Cold Asian Chicken Salad Recipe with Noodles
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Full of Asian-inspired flavor: I love love love Asian food, so when coming up with this one, there were a few things I knew I wanted to include. Green cabbage, pickled onion, ramen noodles, spicy peanuts, Thai basil, and miso are all present and accounted for.
- Can be prepped in advance: Sometimes I’ll double or triple the recipe if I’m having friends over. A few of the main components can easily be made in advance and stored in the fridge.
- Versatile: I’ve made Asian chicken salad with ramen noodles for lunch or have served it for dinner! It pairs so well with a side of soup.
- Make it your own: As always, feel free to omit any ingredients you don’t like, or double up on the ones you love.
Ingredients and Substitutions
These are the main ingredients and substitutions for my Cold Asian Chicken Salad Recipe with Noodles. Scroll down to the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and instructions.
Chicken: I love making this recipe when I have leftover chicken in the fridge that I need to use up! If you don’t have any leftovers, you could also use rotisserie chicken instead.
Vegetables: I’m using organic artisan salad, green cabbage, green onion, pickled onion, shredded carrots, and roasted red bell peppers.
Ramen Noodles: I love using ramen in this recipe! The noodles are light and so easy to make.
More Toppings: This Asian chicken noodle salad is seriously piled high with toppings. I also add fresh cilantro, spicy peanuts, pineapple salsa, mandarin oranges, and Thai basil leaves.
Miso Dressing: Comes together with miso paste, sesame seed oil, red wine vinegar, olive oil, turmeric, black pepper, and freshly grated ginger.
Spicy Peanut Dressing: Here you’ll need peanut butter, rice wine vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, grated ginger, honey, sesame oil, olive oil, and chili flakes.
How to Make My Asian Chicken Salad Recipe
Make the ramen
Cook the ramen noodles according to the package instructions and set aside to cool completely.
Prep the salad dressings
Grab a bowl for the miso dressing and a separate one for the spicy peanut dressing. Combine the respective ingredients in each bowl and stir until well combined. Set aside.
Assemble the Asian chicken salad with ramen noodles
Combine the artisan salad, green cabbage, and cooled ramen noodles in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the cilantro and green onions and toss to combine.
Next, add the spicy peanuts, pineapple salsa, pickled onion, shredded carrots, roasted red bell peppers, and mandarin oranges. Drizzle with the miso dressing and toss to combine.
Serve
Plate the salad, then top with chicken and drizzle with peanut dressing. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Prep ahead: As mentioned, this Asian chicken salad recipe can easily be prepped in advance. You can make the noodles and both dressings and store them in the fridge up to 24 hours before serving. I wouldn’t leave the ramen any longer as it will become soggy.
- Fresh is best: It may be obvious, but it’s important to use fresh vegetables, fruit, and herbs. Your ramen noodle Asian chicken salad will only taste as good as the ingredients you use!
- Taste the dressings as you go: Making salad dressing from scratch involves a ton of trial and error… and taste tests. I created the dressings here based on my own taste preferences — don’t hesitate to play around with the flavors so they suit your needs.
How to Serve and Store Asian Chicken Noodle Salad
Serve your Asian chicken salad recipe immediately for the best taste and texture. If you let it sit for too long, some of the ingredients might go soggy.
If you want to make this ahead of time for a party, I suggest following the recipe as written but wait to add the dressing just before serving. This way, you won’t have to worry about anything getting mushy.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Again, this dish is best enjoyed sooner than later, so try to eat it within the first few days.
Taste And Texture
Cold Asian Chicken Salad Recipe with Noodles features an amazing combination of sweet, salty, and savory flavors. The miso dressing is full of rich, umami flavor with a touch of sweetness, while the spicy peanut dressing brings the heat.
The added pineapple salsa and oranges add a burst of freshness, and the noodles make the whole thing more substantial. Topped with juicy chicken and crunchy peanuts to finish it all off, it’s full of so many tasty flavors and textures!
Frequently Asked Questions
Should the chicken in chicken salad be hot or cold?
I like cold chicken for my Asian chicken salad recipe. If you prefer yours hot, you can certainly heat it up before adding it with the rest of the ingredients. Be careful not to heat it too much though, or the salad greens may wilt.
Can I use pre-made salad dressings?
Sure! You can cut out a bulk of the work to make this salad by using store-bought miso and spicy peanut dressings. The flavors won’t be exactly the same, but would likely still taste great if you use a brand you know you love!
Can I make this salad vegetarian or vegan?
Absolutely! You guys know that I like to include options for all types of diets! To make this Asian chicken noodle salad vegetarian- or vegan-friendly, simply leave out the chicken. You can serve as is, or replace it with tofu or tempeh.
Other Recipes You May Like:
- Kale Salad with Miso Dressing
- Honey Mustard Chicken Salad
- Buffalo Cauliflower Salad
- Peach Goat Cheese Salad
- Vegan Kale Caesar Salad
If you make this Asian chicken salad with ramen noodles, I would really appreciate a comment and rating down below the recipe card. Don’t forget to take a picture and tag me over on Instagram, TikTok, or Pinterest!
Cold Asian Chicken Salad Recipe with Noodles
Ingredients
Salad:
- 2 tbsp Cilantro (chopped)
- 2 tbsp Green onion (sliced)
- 4 cups Organic artisan salad
- 1/2 cup Green cabbage
- 1 cup Ramen noodles (cooked and cooled)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 cup spicy cashews or peanuts
- 1/2 cup pineapple or mango salsa
- 1/2 cup pickled onion
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup roasted red bell pepper
- 1 cup mandarin oranges
Miso dressing:
- 1 Tbsp white or yellow miso paste
- 2 tbsp sesame seed oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
Spicy Peanut Dressing:
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- Juice of 1 lime (1 1/2 tablespoons)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic (finely minced or use garlic press)
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
Instructions
- Start by cooking the ramen noodles according to package and setting aside to cool completely.
- Then, prep the salad dressings by combing all the ingredients in two separate bowls, set aside.
- When ready, in a large bowl combine artisan salad, green cabbage, ramen noodles, season with salt and pepper, add in cilantro and green onions. Toss to combine.
- Then, add in spicy peanuts, pineapple salsa, pickled onion, shredded carrots, roasted red bell peppers and mandarin oranges.
- Drizzle with miso dressing and toss to combine.
- Plate salad and add on chicken if using, and drizzle with spicy peanut dressing and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Prep ahead: As mentioned, this Asian chicken salad recipe can easily be prepped in advance. You can make the noodles and both dressings and store them in the fridge up to 24 hours before serving. I wouldn’t leave the ramen any longer as it will become soggy.
- Fresh is best: It may be obvious, but it’s important to use fresh vegetables, fruit, and herbs. Your ramen noodle Asian chicken salad will only taste as good as the ingredients you use!
- Taste the dressings as you go: Making salad dressing from scratch involves a ton of trial and error… and taste tests. I created the dressings here based on my own taste preferences — don’t hesitate to play around with the flavors so they suit your needs.
