Chaat Masala Cooks

Crunchy, colourful and packed with flavour, this Chinese-inspired chicken salad combines juicy shredded chicken, crisp vegetables, sweet mandarins and toasted almonds with a delicious honey–sesame dressing.

Crushed instant noodles add an irresistible crunch, making this fresh and satisfying salad perfect for a light lunch, easy dinner or summer gathering.

Recipe Details

• Preparation time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 20 minutes
• Serves: 6–8

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 3 cups finely chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce
• 2 cups finely shredded red cabbage
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• ½ cup tinned mandarin segments, drained well
• 1 packet dry instant noodles, lightly crushed and seasoning sachet discarded
• ½ cup grated or finely shredded carrot
• ⅓ cup finely sliced spring onions
• ¼ cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted

For the Honey–Sesame Dressing

• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon halal-suitable hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons reduced-salt soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced
• 4 tablespoons neutral oil, such as sunflower or vegetable oil
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Prepare the Salad

Place the lettuce, red cabbage, shredded chicken, mandarin segments, carrot and spring onions in a large serving bowl. Add the toasted almonds and crushed dry noodles, then toss gently.

2. Make the Dressing

Whisk together the rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Slowly add the neutral oil while whisking until the dressing is smooth and lightly thickened. Taste and add black pepper if needed.

3. Dress and Serve

Pour the dressing over the salad immediately before serving. Toss gently until evenly coated, then serve while the vegetables and noodles are still crisp.

Tips and Variations

• Add the noodles and dressing at the last moment to preserve their crunch.
• Leftover roast or rotisserie chicken makes this especially quick.
• Replace the almonds with roasted cashews or peanuts.
• Use crispy wonton strips instead of crushed instant noodles.
• Fresh clementine segments can replace tinned mandarins.
• Add cucumber, red pepper or edamame for extra colour and texture.
• Check that the noodles, hoisin sauce and prepared ingredients suit your dietary requirements.

Make Ahead and Storage

Prepare the vegetables, chicken and dressing in advance and refrigerate them separately. Add the dressing, almonds and crushed noodles just before serving. Once dressed, the salad is best eaten immediately.

Allergy information: Contains wheat, gluten, soya, sesame and almonds.

Recipe adapted and rewritten with inspiration from Delish.