Chicken and Cabbage Salad with Hoisin Vinaigrette

This Chicken and Cabbage Salad with Hoisin Vinaigrette has flavor combinations that I will gravitate to over and over again. Cool, crisp vegetables and crunchy peanuts, sweet and tangy hoisin dressing and savory protein-packed shredded chicken, hearty cabbage and aromatic herbs, it's all here! This meal is perfect for summer evenings or shaking up the meal rotation. It even lends itself well to meal prep for busy school weeknights.

This shredded cabbage salad is one of my favorite uses for rotisserie chicken leftovers. It's a no-cook dinner that is packed with flavor! Hoisin sauce does some of the heavy lifting, with its sweet, tangy, and aromatic notes. Don't skip the mint and cilantro, they play a big role in the flavor, too!

If you love hoisin sauce as much as we do, try these Hoisin Pork Rice Bowls, next! Want more delicious ways to use rotisserie chicken? Try this mild coconut curry, chicken pecan salad, or chicken tortilla soup for some quick and tasty options.

Ingredients

I include ingredient notes here when I think they'll be helpful, including ways to source, any preparation tips, or why I've chosen a particular ingredient. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and their quantities!

• Shredded Chicken - Shred the breast meat from a rotisserie chicken into thin bite-sized strips or use canned chicken breast for a simple swap.
• Green Cabbage - Half of a medium heat of green cabbage will yield about 4 cups of shredded cabbage. You can also use a pre-shredded slaw mix and skip a step at home!
• Carrots - Two medium carrots will yield about 1 cup of julienne or shredded carrots. Use a package of julienned carrots if these are available in your local market.
• Cucumber - Choose one medium cucumber. If you can find it, an English cucumber or hothouse cucumber will have fewer seeds and slice into strips more easily.
• Cilantro and Mint Leaves - Both of these green, leafy herbs add bright and fresh flavor to the salad. Use fresh herbs for best flavor and set aside a few leaves of each for garnish.
• Roasted Peanuts - Use roasted and salted or unsalted peanuts. 
• French Fried Onions - They aren't just for green bean casserole! Use these crispy toppers to add texture and subtle onion flavor. If you have a good Asian market nearby, you can also find fried crispy shallots which are an excellent option in place of the french fried onions. 
• Hoisin Sauce - Hoisin sauce has a sweet flavor that has notes of five spice, garlic, and subtle tang. This dark, sticky sauce is commonly found in the international foods section at larger grocery stores or at any Asian market.
• Fish Sauce - Fish sauce adds big umami flavor and plenty of saltiness to balance out the hoisin in the dressing.  For most recipes I use the Three Crabs brand, which I buy at my local Asian market.  You can also use a fancier Red Boat brand which I often see in the international section of the supermarket.
• Rice Wine Vinegar - This light vinegar will add acidity to balance the vinaigrette.
• Neutral Oil - Use a canola, corn, vegetable, avocado, or other neutrally flavored oil in the vinaigrette.

Instructions

Combine the fish sauce, rice wine vinegar, hoisin sauce, and oil in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Shake the ingredients so that the hoisin vinaigrette is thoroughly combined. Alternatively, add the ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk until well blended.

Shred the cabbage into thin strips using a mandoline or a chef's knife.

Peel and shred the carrots using the same mandoline or use the coarse side of a box grater.

Cut the cucumber into 3-4" pieces. Cut each piece into thin planks using a chef's knife. Then slice each plank into thin strips for a julienne cut.

Chop the cilantro and tear the mint leaves into small pieces. Crush the peanuts using the broad side of a chef's knife blade or simply chop them into small pieces.

Place all of the salad toppings onto a platter for a DIY-style presentation where everyone can build their salad to their liking.

Alternatively, prepare the salad in a large bowl by adding all of the components and tossing them well with the hoisin vinaigrette.

Make sure to top the chicken and cabbage salad with a generous splash of the vinaigrette and garnish it with additional mint, cilantro, crushed peanuts, and french-fried onions.

Substitutions and Variations

The substitutions listed below have been tested in this recipe and work well. If you successfully make any other ingredient substitutions, let us know in the comments!

• Add shaved shallots or red onion - If you want to double down on the onion flavor, add finely shaved or thinly sliced shallots or red onion to your salad.
• Add More Vegetables - Red bell pepper, mung bean sprouts, or shelled edamame all make great additions to this chicken and cabbage salad if you want to bulk it up for more servings.
• Swap Chicken for Tofu - This salad is delicious with tofu as well. My favorite way to add it is to shred a block of drained firm tofu on the large holes of a box grater. Then quickly stir fry the shredded tofu in a skillet with a splash of vegetable oil to crisp up the edges.

Equipment

Here are the kitchen tools that make preparation of this flavorful salad quick and easy:

• Chef's Knife - An 8- or 10-inch chef's knife is an essential tool in any kitchen.  Choose one that is lightweight and fits comfortably in your hand. The larger blade makes slicing the cucumber into thin strips a cinch.
• Mandoline - A mandoline is a flat platform with a very sharp blade embedded so that you can shave or slice vegetables like cabbage into fine pieces with minimal effort. Mandolines are razor-sharp, use caution with them and use the guard that is provided or invest in a cut-proof glove. A mandoline is great for slicing peppers, onions, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and more!
• Mixing Bowl - It's helpful to have mixing bowls in a variety of sizes, but you'll always reach for a sturdy glass or stainless steel mixing bowl for mixing batters, cookie doughs, snack mixes, and salads. Bigger is better, for this salad full of vegetables, herbs, and crunchy toppings! If you are going to serve the salad shortly after preparing it, you can even save some dishes by whisking the dressing right in the bottom of the bowl before layering in all of the rest of the ingredients. Just toss everything together and serve!

Serving Suggestions

Serve with 5 Spice Chicken Thighs in place of the rotisserie chicken and you'll be doubling down on the aromatic 5-spice flavor in the hoisin sauce. This salad can be served as one large tossed salad for all or as a DIY situation if you have pickier eaters or anyone who has to avoid certain ingredients.

Make This Recipe Kid Friendly

If you serve the individual components of the salad separately, kids can pick and choose what to add to their plate. Mine will always choose cucumber and carrots so I often serve the salad with a preferred protein for the kids to get a balanced meal. You may discover they like hoisin sauce as well! Provide some of that on the side for dipping the shredded chicken.

Storage

Store the salad components in the refrigerator separately for the best texture. The mixed salad can also be stored for leftovers, but the French fried onions will soften. The cabbage holds up well and keeps its crunch for about two days.

Make-Ahead Options

Prepare all of the components to the chicken and cabbage salad the night before and you can have dinner on the table in minutes after a hectic weeknight of practices, classes, or rehearsals. Seal the ingredients in airtight containers so that they stay moist and fresh. Let everyone build their own salad right from the kitchen counter!

More Recipes with Fresh Herb Flavor

Bright and fresh, the mint and cilantro add great flavor to this chicken and cabbage salad. Here are more recipes that rely on fresh herbs for flavor:

Try it and Share

I hope you try this Chicken and Cabbage Salad with Hoisin Vinaigrette and enjoy the recipe as much as we do. I want to see your results! Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram or Facebook. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.