A vibrant, summery chicken salad with a creamy, sweet chilli kick!
I made a big batch of this Bang Bang Chicken Salad and ended up eating it for lunch three days straight – it’s that good! It’s also easy to prepare, super filling, summery and fresh. Shredded seasoned chicken, shredded purple cabbage and wombok, julienned carrot and bean sprouts all sit atop a base of vermicelli noodles. The whole salad is then smothered with the most delicious, creamy sweet chilli and mayonnaise-based Asian dressing. I love this recipe so much that I included it in my new cookbook Simple Dinners Every Day.
This hearty, vibrant salad is not only perfect for prepping ahead of time, ready for quick lunches, but it also makes the best accompaniment to a picnic or barbecue spread. I’ve ensured a simple way of preparing the chicken, so that you can enjoy this recipe any day of the week, but this recipe can also be made with leftover roasted or poached chicken to make things even easier.
If you’d like the salad to be vegetarian, you could replace the chicken with other ingredients, such as crispy tofu, roasted sweet potato or boiled eggs (see my other suggestions below). It can also be as mild or hot as you want, as the hot sauce is optional. And, as you can make the chicken and dress up to 48 hours ahead of time, it’s perfect for easy entertaining.
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes! Swap the chicken for crispy tofu, roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas, edamame beans, or even boiled eggs for a protein-packed alternative.
How do I keep the salad fresh for meal prep?
Store the components separately in airtight containers and toss everything together with the dressing just before serving. This keeps the vegetables crisp and the noodles from soaking up too much dressing.
What noodles should I use?
Vermicelli noodles are great for their light, chewy texture, but you can also use soba noodles, glass noodles, or even cooked rice for a variation.
Why is it called Bang Bang Chicken?
It’s not called “bang bang chicken” because it’s hot and spicy and packs a punch, but gets its name from the traditional Chinese utensil (a bàng, meaning a “stick”) that is used to tenderise the meat in this dish.
Can I serve the bang bang chicken as a main with veggies and rice rather than in a salad?
If you’d like to eat bang bang chicken as a main with veggies, take a look at my other Bang Bang Chicken recipe.
Watch how to make Bang Bang Chicken Salad
If you enjoyed Bang Bang Chicken Salad, I think you’ll love:
Thai Beef and Noodle Salad Recipe
Chicken Noodle Salad with Sesame Soy Dressing Recipe
Chicken Salad with Creamy Peanut Dressing Recipe
Tuna Miso Soba Noodles Recipe
Bang Bang Chicken
Bang Bang Chicken Salad
Share PrintIngredients
- 1 cup 250 g whole-egg mayonnaise
- ¼ cup 60 g sweet chilli sauce (see Note 1 for gluten information)
- 2 tbsp tamari or all-purpose soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar or lime juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp sriracha or hot chilli sauce optional (see Note 1 for gluten information)
- ½ tsp freshly grated garlic
- 600 g 1¼ lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (2 breasts, sliced in half to make thinner steaks), (or use 4 cups/640 g shredded leftover roasted chicken)
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp tamari or all-purpose soy sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup 60 ml water
- 200 g 7 oz vermicelli rice noodles (see note 2)
- 1½ cups 115 g shredded wombok cabbage
- 1½ cups 115 g shredded purple cabbage
- 1 carrot julienned
- 1 cup 90 g bean sprouts
- 2 spring onions scallions, finely sliced
- ½ cup 25 g roughly chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
- ¼ cup 15 g crispy fried shallots
Equipment
Instructions
- Make the dressing – Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
- Marinate the chicken – Place the chicken in a large shallow bowl and add the sweet paprika, onion powder, pepper, tamari, sugar and olive oil (do not add the water to the marinade). Toss the chicken using tongs to coat it evenly in the marinade.
- Cook and shred the chicken – Heat a large, deep, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the chicken (no extra oil required) and cook for 3–4 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through. Add the water to the base of the pan in the last 3 minutes of cooking to help deglaze the pan and scrape up any sticky bits. Set aside on a plate. Once cool enough to handle, shred the chicken using two forks. Toss well so the seasoned coating flavours all the meat.
- Cook the noodles – Prepare the vermicelli rice noodles as per the packet instructions. Rinse with cold water and drain. (Are your noodles sticking? See note 1.)
- Assemble the salad – Arrange the noodles on a large platter. Add the wombok cabbage, purple cabbage, carrot, bean sprouts and shredded chicken on top of the noodles, in that order, so they are layered.
- Dress the salad – Drizzle generously with the creamy bang bang dressing.
- Serve – Top with the spring onion, coriander and crispy fried shallots. Serve in the centre of the table for everyone to help themselves.
Disclaimer re gluten-free and dairy-free recipes
Keryn says:
No complaints from my fussy kids; they asked me to cook it again; and I really enjoyed the leftovers for lunch. That deserves 5 stars in my book!
Nicole says:
Wonderful to hear, Keryn! ‘No complaints’ is high praise for a parent … haha! Thanks for the rating. Nic x
DW says:
“Want more” chicken salad
Nicole says:
Love that! Thanks so much for the rating. Nic x
Jess says:
Bravo 👏🏼 Another stand out recipe from the queen herself. Delicious as always!
Nicole says:
Aww, thanks so much Jess! So glad you enjoyed it. Nic x
Sara L. says:
I was unsure how this would come together but it did!!! As noted in the recipe we ate it for lunch the next two days until it was gone and it was better after sitting in the fridge than the first time we ate it. The crispy onions (we used the crispy fried onions used on green bean casserole) gave it the perfect varied texture. We also added cashews for additional crunch. Only change I made was as using 1/2 cup mayo and 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt for the dressing instead of 1 cup mayo since my family doesn’t love the taste of mayo. This recipe was so flavorful, unique and unlike anything I’ve made before. It stretched a lot and made six total very large servings.
Nicole says:
This is wonderful feedback, Sara. I love hearing how you adapted the recipe and that the leftovers were even better! Nic x