Asian Wonton Chicken Salad

This Asian Wonton Chicken Salad has it all: red leaf lettuce, tender bite-sized chicken, crisp fresh vegetables, sweet mandarin oranges, and fresh green onions. Topped with crispy wontons, sesame seeds, and a light dressing, this is a salad you’ll want to share with your best friends.

Here’s a note from Si about this salad–
“This recipe came from Michelle King, a former Salt Lake City anchorwoman for KUTV News. She made this yummy salad at a church event I attended. I loved it so much, I asked her to share the recipe.“

Si made a few adjustments to the salad – and here it is:

Ingredients we love in Asian Chicken Salad

• Cubed chicken breasts bring flavor and protein. Bake or grill – your choice!
• Red lettuce has a beautiful color, a softer texture, and mild flavor.
• Mandarin oranges add a tangy, citrusy burst of flavor.
• Cucumbers and water chestnuts give freshness and crunch. 
• Green onions top the salad with a fresh, mild bite. 
• Fried wonton strips bring a crispy crunch with an Asian-inspired taste.
• Sesame seeds add a mild, nutty flavor.

5 Helpful tips for the best Asian Chicken Salad with Wontons

1. Red lettuce has a softer texture, so carefully wash with cold water to keep crispy. Use a salad spinner or blot with a paper towel to dry.
2. Use English cucumbers and avoid removing seeds.
3. Save time by picking up a few orders of fried wontons from a nearby Chinese restaurant.
4. Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until golden, or in an oven at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes.
5. As an alternative to deep frying, add about ¾ cup of canola oil in a 4- to 6-quart saucepan. Cook wonton slices over medium heat, stirring as needed, until golden and crispy.

Other ABK salad recipes we love include: Tomato, Cucumber and Cottage Cheese Salad, Caesar Pasta Salad, and 30 Minute Caprese Salad. 

We’d love to hear your thoughts and any ideas you have for this recipe. Please feel free to comment below.

Originally posted May 2009, updated with new content March 2026

Asian Wonton Chicken Salad

Print Pin

Author: Si Foster

Course: main salad, Salad

Cuisine: American, Asian

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 6 -8

This salad has it all: red leaf lettuce, chicken, vegetables, mandarin oranges, and fresh green onions. Topped with crispy wontons, sesame seeds, and a light dressing.

Ingredients 

Dressing

• 1/4 cup sugar, to taste
• 1/2 cup olive oil + 1 tablespoons water – OR – ½ cup canola oil-OR- ½ cup avocado oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar

Salad

• 4 chicken breast halves, baked or grilled
• 2 heads red leaf lettuce
• 3 10.5- ounce cans mandarin oranges, drained
• 2 cucumbers, seeded and diced-OR- two English cucumbers, diced
• 1 8- ounce package mushrooms, thinly sliced (optional)
• 2 8- ounce cans water chestnuts, drained and cut into matchstick pieces
• 2 bunches green onions, chopped (green stems only)
• ¾ of a 12-ounce package wonton wrappers, sliced into strips and deep fried
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

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Instructions

Salad

• Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and bake or grill until cooked through. Cube chicken breasts.
• Wash and chop lettuce.
• In a large bowl, combine lettuce with fruit, vegetables, and chicken. Toss, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Just before serving, drizzle with dressing and toss. Serve wontons on the side to keep them crispy.

Dressing

• Mix all ingredients in a blender or shaker or use immersion blender. Do not refrigerate before using. If refrigerating leftover dressing, bring to room temperature before tossing on salad.
• Salad dressing should be fairly thin. If using olive oil, add up to 2 tablespoons of water to thin.

Notes

Cider vinegar may be substituted for equal amounts of rice vinegar.

Sesame oil adds a distinct Asian flavor. If you enjoy it, substitute up to two tablespoons olive oil with an equal amount of sesame oil.  

Tip: Save time by picking up fried wontons from a nearby Chinese restaurant.