• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Hangry Economist logo
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • 30 Minutes or Less
    • Healthy-ish
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Sides
  • Lifestyle
    • DC/MD/VA Local Finds
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Lifestyle
  • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About Us
    • Lifestyle
    • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes

    Chopped Asian Salad with Spicy Peanut Cilantro Vinaigrette

    May 13, 2022 · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    I've been on a salad kick lately, so this asian chicken salad with homemade peanut cilantro dressing really hit the spot. It's loaded with vegetables, and the dressing is so so good. The salad is similar to the chopped salad kits you can get at the grocery store (shoutout to the Taylor Farms Asian Chopped Salad Kit), but so much better. The dressing was inspired by the peanut cilantro dressing on the Santa Fe Salad at the Cheesecake Factory, which is perfect with the Asian-inspired flavors in this salad. Best of all, it comes together in about 20 minutes, which makes it perfect for a quick and healthy weeknight meal.

    Can I add a protein to this salad?

    You sure can! I topped it with our delicious Easy Marinated Pan-Seared Chicken Breast to make it a meal, but it's also great as a side salad or vegetarian meal. It would also be great with grilled chicken, shredded rotisserie chicken, or any leftover chicken you have on hand. I haven't tried it, but I bet it would also be great with some teriyaki or bbq marinated shrimp or salmon.

    Chopped asian salad in a serving bowl with a spoon. The Hangry Economist.

    Here's what's in this chopped salad.

    The salad ingredients:

    We've chosen simple ingredients for this salad that we tend to enjoy. If your family likes different vegetables than us, then feel free to swap things out and make this salad your own. If you're gluten-free, peanuts or almonds would be a great alternative to the chow mein noodles.

    • Broccoli slaw. You can buy this in a bag at the grocery store. I love throwing it into my salads for some extra veggies and crunch.
    • Romaine lettuce. You can buy pre-chopped or whole romaine hearts--we usually buy the hearts because they tend to be a little cheaper.
    • Chow mein noodles. You want the crunchy noodles, usually sold in a can. They're generally in the Asian or international aisle at the grocery store.
    • Mandarin oranges. We use canned mandarin oranges. Make sure you buy the ones that are canned in water instead of syrup--the added sugar just isn't necessary.
    • Cilantro. Fresh is a must here.
    • Bell pepper. Any color works--we use a mix of red, yellow, and orange.

    The dressing ingredients:

    This peanut cilantro vinaigrette is a tried and true recipe for us and tastes great on everything. I've been known to use the leftovers as a vegetable dipping sauce.

    • Onion. We use a sweet onion--you can use whatever you like or have on hand.
    • Jalapeño. If you don't like spicy food, you can omit this, but it really does add a lot of good flavor to the dressing.
    • Honey. If you don't like (or have) honey, maple syrup is a good alternative.
    • Rice vinegar. You could try regular white vinegar if you don't have rice vinegar on hand.
    • Peanut butter. Use whatever you normally eat.
    • Sesame oil

    Here's how you make this Asian salad.

    This chopped asian salad is super easy to make and tastes like the type of loaded salad you'd pay $15 for at your favorite restaurant.

    1. Make the spicy peanut cilantro vinaigrette.

      Combine honey, water, rice vinegar, salt, peanut butter, sesame oil, jalapeño, onion, and cilantro in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Salad dressing in a food processor. The Hangry Economist.

    2. Chop the salad ingredients.

      Finely chop the romaine lettuce, broccoli slaw, cilantro, and mandarin oranges and add to a large mixing bowl. Then finely dice the peppers and add those to the same bowl.

      If you have a salad chopper, feel free to use that to chop your salad instead! Salad choppers are great little tools to have if you enjoy chopped salads often (which you should, because they're delicious and you get a little bit of everything in every bite).

    3. Compile the salad.

      Add the dressing to the salad (use your desired amount) and mix until evenly coated. Then add the chow mein noodles and mix until combined. Serve immediately with chicken, shrimp, salmon or by itself. Stirring a salad with spoons. The Hangry Economist.

    Chopped Asian Salad with Spicy Peanut Cilantro Vinaigrette: FAQs

    I'm allergic to peanuts. Can I substitute something else?

    Yes! This dressing is also great with almond butter.

    You have chicken in some of your pictures. Can I make this a chopped chicken Asian salad?

    Yep! We love this with our Easy Marinated Pan-Seared Chicken Breast, but it'd also be great with rotisseries chicken, grilled chicken, or leftover chicken you already have on hand.

    What else would be good in this salad?

    It'd be great with broccoli, sugar snap peas, carrots, peanuts, almonds, sesame seeds, or whatever else you can dream up!

    Chopped asian salad on a fork over a bowl. The Hangry Economist.
    Chopped Asian Salad with Spicy Peanut Cilantro Vinaigrette

    Chopped Asian Salad with Spicy Peanut Cilantro Vinaigrette

    Recipe by Mollie

    This super simple chopped asian salad is loaded with vegetables, and the dressing is so so good. It's similar to the chopped salad kits you can get at the grocery store but so much better.

    Course: Dinner, LunchCuisine: AsianDifficulty: Easy
    5 from 1 vote
    Pin
    Print
    Servings

    4

    servings
    Prep time

    20

    minutes
    Cooking time

    0

    minutes
    Calories

    350

    kcal
    Total time

    20

    minutes
    Cook Mode

    Prevent your screen from going dark!

    Ingredients

    • For the dressing:
    • ¼ cup ¼ honey (or maple syrup)

    • 2 tablespoons 2 water

    • 2 tablespoons 2 rice vinegar

    • ¼ teaspoon ¼ salt

    • ¼ cup ¼ peanut butter

    • ⅛ teaspoon ⅛ sesame oil

    • ¼ ¼ jalapeno

    • ¼ ¼ small onion

    • ¼ cup ¼ cilantro

    • For the rest of it:
    • 2 hearts 2 romaine lettuce

    • 2 cups 2 broccoli slaw

    • ½ cup ½ cilantro

    • 1 1 bell pepper

    • 15 ounces 15 canned mandarin oranges, drained

    • 1 cup 1 crunchy chow mein noodles

    Directions

    • Make the vinaigrette. Combine honey, water, rice vinegar, salt, peanut butter, sesame oil, jalapeño, onion, and cilantro in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
    • Finely chop the romaine lettuce, broccoli slaw, cilantro, and mandarin oranges and add to a large mixing bowl. Then finely dice the peppers and add those to the same bowl.
    • Add the dressing to the salad (use your desired amount) and mix until evenly coated. Then add the chow mein noodles and mix until combined. Serve immediately with chicken, shrimp, salmon, or by itself.

    Notes

    • If you have a salad chopper, feel free to use that to chop your salad instead! Salad choppers are great little tools to have if you enjoy chopped salads often.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag and follow @hangryeconomist on Instagram

    Like this recipe?

    Follow @hangryeconomist on Pinterest

    If you like this, you should also try..

    • Fall Harvest Salad with Sweet Potato, Apple, and Halloumi Cheese
    • Quick and Refreshing Bruschetta and Burrata Steak Salad
    • Easy Beef and Broccoli with Peppers and Mushrooms

    « Weeknight Chicken Curry Recipe
    Coconut Water Mocktail »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    hi, we're Michael and Mollie

    Welcome! We are Michael & Mollie, a hangry economics enthusiast and her husband. Our goal is to provide you with delicious, accessible, and healthy-ish recipes that are both time- and money-efficient.

    More about us →

    trending Recipes

    • 5-Ingredient Beer Bread
    • Creamy Spinach, Red Pepper, and Shrimp Pasta
    • Grilled Cheese Burger
    • Chicken Wing Marinade

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Info

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Contact

    • Email us

    Copyright © 2022 The Hangry Economist