Kung Pao Chicken Salad

Packed with lots of sweet and spicy flavor, my kung pao chicken salad is a fresh take on a classic take-out favorite. Loaded up with fresh greens, red bell pepper, roasted peanuts and chunks of chicken all tossed in a mouthwatering Szechuan-style peanut dressing, this recipe is just the pick when something light and fresh with an Asian twist is what you crave!

Salad brimming with the flavors of kung pao chicken

I adore a fresh, flavorful and hearty salad! And when that salad is loaded with the flavors of one of my favorite Chinese takeout dishes, that's even better!

This kung pao chicken salad takes its inspiration from classic kung pao chicken. It's loaded with sweet-savory and spicy flavors, chunks of juicy chicken and red bell peppers, plus roasted peanuts.

Light, bright and easy to whip up, it's perfect for when you're craving a healthy meal with a delightful Asian-inspired twist.

The bonus? It's ideal for either lunch or dinner. And, any extra dressing can be used as a mouthwatering sauce for other Asian-style dishes!

My recipe for Kung Pao chicken salad

Part of what is so appealing about this Kung Pao chicken salad is that the handful of ingredients creates a salad brimming with flavor, color, and texture.

It's all a matter of tossing some freshly chopped romaine greens into a bowl, along with red bell peppers, roasted peanuts, and diced chicken. I love to use pre-cooked chicken breast here, and either rotisserie or grilled chicken breast works perfectly. The choice is yours!

The homemade, sweet-spicy Szechuan-style dressing gets whirled up in the food processor for a quick preparation. It includes rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, hoisin, chili garlic sauce, and a touch of ginger, and it's absolutely mouthwatering!

And I love making use of any leftover portions of this dressing for a whole other meal such as my chicken fried rice or even my chicken potstickers.

Here's a sneak peek at my recipe for Kung Pau chicken salad:

(or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I whirl up my Szechuan dressing in my food processor until smooth and emulsified. I then set it aside to have ready and on hand.
2. Then, I simply add my chopped romaine salad greens, my cooked and cubed chicken breasts, my red bell pepper and my roasted peanuts to a large bowl, and gently toss to combine.
3. To finish, I drizzle in as much of the dressing as desired, toss to coat, garnish with my green onion and a few more roasted peanuts.
4. You can serve with extra dressing and even more peanuts on the side.

Recipe

Kung Pao Chicken Salad

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This sweet and spicy Kung Pao chicken salad is brimming with colorful veggies and greens, and drizzled with a peanut-y, Szechuan-style dressing!

Category: Salad
Cuisine: Asian-American

Yield: Serves 2 (entree-size portions)

Nutrition info: 540 calories (per serving, with about 2 tablespoons of dressing)

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

Kung Pao Chicken Salad Ingredients:

• 2 cups pre-cooked chicken breasts, chopped or cubed (rotisserie is terrific here)
• 2 romaine hearts, chopped finely
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded, then finely diced
• 2 green onions, sliced
• ¼ (heaping) cup roasted peanuts

Sweet-Spicy Szechuan Dressing Ingredients:

• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoon creamy peanut butter
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon chili garlic sauce
• ½ teaspoon grated ginger
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• ½ cup olive oil or avocado oil

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your Szechuan dressing ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. To prepare your dressing, add all of the ingredients up to and including the smashed garlic cloves to the bowl of a food processor, and process for about 30 seconds or until smooth. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive or avocado oil until the dressing is completely emulsified and blended. Pour into a bowl or container and set aside.
3. Then, gather and prep all of your salad ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
4. To make the salad, add the chicken, romaine and diced red bell peppers to a large bowl and toss gently to combine. Drizzle in as much of the dressing as you desire, and toss once again to coat everything well.
5. Divide the salad among two shallow bowls or plates, garnish each with the green onions and roasted peanuts, and enjoy.

Tips & Tidbits for my Kung Pao chicken salad recipe:

• Pre-cooked chicken breast for ease: I love to use either pre-cooked grilled chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken for this salad. It's super easy to simply cube up the breast meat and add it to the salad. You can also grill a couple of skinless, boneless chicken breasts for a few moments in a grill pan or skillet if you prefer.
• Red bell peppers for sweetness: Typically you'll find chunks of red bell pepper in Kung Pao chicken, so I like to incorporate some in this salad for texture, color, and flavor. You can use a trio here if you prefer—red, yellow and orange bell peppers—or sub only orange, or even yellow. You could also use slices of sweet, mini peppers if you desire.
• Hearty greens for crunch: While I'm opting for chopped romaine lettuce here because I love the heartiness, freshness, and crunch, feel free to use your own favorite kind of greens! You can use a spring mix, arugula, power greens, or chopped/sliced (thin) bok choy and/or Napa cabbage.

Craving more delicious salads like this one? Check out my recipe for Steak Salad with Avocado-Cilantro Dressing, Thai Chicken Salad Wonton Cups, Thai Chicken Satay Salad, Honey Mustard Chicken Salad, or even my Ahi Tuna Salad!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2014, and has been updated with even more love!