Spring means less time hovering over a soup pot, and more time with a different kind of bowl: the salad bowl. This Chili Crisp Chopped Chicken Salad is exactly what the season ordered. It’s got all the crunch, color, and fresh energy you want when the weather starts turning warm, plus a creamy chili crisp dressing that’s got a little heat, a little sweet, and just the right amount of nutty. The best part? If you’ve got rotisserie or leftover chicken in the fridge, there’s genuinely zero cooking involved.

Overhead view of Chili Crisp Chopped Chicken Salad in a wooden salad bowl with metal handles.

As we transition to spring and summer’s lighter, fresh vegetable-forward recipes, we all need a reliably delicious and easy-going salad to keep in our back pockets. A chopped chicken salad is my go-to option: nutritious, easy, and filling.

Chopped chicken salads are practically ubiquitous, so what makes my chopped chicken salad a must-try?

It’s the dressing. Omg. A creamy chili crisp-infused blend that’s zesty and bright with umami-rich flavors and a bite that’s reigned in with mayo and yogurt. Rotisserie or leftover chicken makes it super easy, and crisp green cabbage, fresh garden veggies, and a topping of crunchy peanuts give this salad lots of character.

But seriously. The dressing. It’s all that and more.

Recipe Highlights

Skill level: Beginner
Cook time: 0 minutes!
Prep time: 15 minutes, or less if you’re a vegetable-chopping whiz.
Servings: About 8 hearty servings.
Flavor profile: Coleslaw gets a chicken protein boost, tossed with a unique, crave-worthy dressing that has layers of flavor and complements the fresh vegetables. It’s the perfect salad to kick off salad season!

Key Ingredients

Ingredients for the salad prepped and measured out into containers, with text overlays identifying the ingredients.

Rotisserie chicken — You can’t beat the convenience of a rotisserie chicken. But if you have leftover chicken in the fridge or freezer, this is a great way to use it up! You can easily sub in turkey if you have that instead.

Green cabbage — Cabbage is having a moment, and it’s the crunch star of this salad. A head of green cabbage is economical, but don’t hesitate to use a shortcut: bagged coleslaw is perfect here. If you want to get fancier, try Napa or Savoy cabbage.

Veggies — I always have carrots, green onions, and bell peppers in the garden in the summer, so these are my go-to. But try cucumbers, sugar snap peas, or finely chopped broccoli to mix things up.

Chili crisp — I have to give a shout-out to this dressing ingredient (more about the dressing in the next section). A generous portion of chili crisp gives the dressing its special flavor and sass. I love chili crisp, and I’ve tried just about every brand I can find locally. My go-to is Lao Gan Ma, which is moderately spicy. I also enjoy Momofuku’s Hot Honey Chili Crunch, though their Black Truffle version is not for me lol. I occasionally find other enjoyable brands at my local World Market, including one recently by Mr. Bing that’s not “hot” at all, but still delish.

Overhead view of a bowl of Chili Crisp Chopped Chicken Salad with a fork, on a wooden serving board.

The Chili Crisp Dressing

A chopped chicken salad is a beautiful base, but what really makes it such a popular go-to option is the dressing you put on it. Whether a familiar ranch or something honey-mustardy or a savory Thai-inspired vinaigrette, it’s that topping that makes it go boom!

Chili crisp is such a versatile condiment that it’s a natural ingredient for a dressing, I think. I’m not even a pepperhead — my spice tolerance can only be described as semi-wimpy — but somehow the heat in chili crisp is part of the enjoyment of it.

I went thick and creamy with this dressing — no regrets! It’s zesty and bright with umami-rich Dijon mustard and soy sauce, rice vinegar for that tangy acid pop, honey for a little contrasting sweetness, and finished with toasted sesame oil for that irresistibly nutty touch. And underlying it all is the deep, savory flavor of chili crisp, but with a zesty kick that’s tamed with mayo and yogurt.

So heat avoiders, no worries — this dressing is everyone-friendly!

How to Make Chili Crisp Chopped Chicken Salad

Ready to make the recipe? Skip to the recipe card now to see the full ingredient list, quantities, prep/cooking times, and printable, detailed instructions. Or, keep scrolling for a visual walk-through and summary of making the salad.

Make the dressing

Add all of the ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until completely combined.

Overhead view of dressing ingredients in a clear, glass bowl.

The dressing fully whisked and combined, with the whisk resting inside the glass bowl.

Assemble the salad

Place the cabbage, chicken, veggies, and some of the cilantro in a large bowl and toss.

The salad ingredients arranged separately in a wooden salad bowl.

In the process of tossing the salad with wooden salad utensils.

Dress the salad

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss again to thoroughly coat. Finish with the remaining cilantro, the peanuts, and optional chow mein noodles.

The dressing poured over the top of the tossed salad.

The finished dressing in the salad bowl.

Cook’s FAQs

Chili crisp is a Chinese condiment made with oil, chili flakes, and crunchy bits of fried garlic, shallots, onions and/or soybeans. It adds heat, a crunchy texture, and savory, almost smoky flavor. Most brands and versions are moderately spicy, but you can adjust how much you use in the dressing to suit your taste. As written, the dressing is mildly spicy with a pleasant warmth, thanks to the yogurt taming the heat, as it often does. If you want to dial it back, start with half the amount and taste as you go. For more heat, just add more!

Yes, with a small trick: store the salad and dressing separately and toss just before serving. The chopped vegetables hold up well for a couple of days in the fridge. Once dressed, the salad is best eaten within a few hours. It’s not so much because the cabbage will wilt — although it does soften some over time — but rather because the dressing loses its kick as it sits. Dairy is well-known for taming heat, and it does here. If the dressing is kept separately, you can taste it before serving and add more chili crisp and vinegar to revive its punchy flavors.

Yes, absolutely! The dressing can be made up to 3–4 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Give it a quick stir before using.

Leftover grilled chicken, poached chicken breasts, or even shredded chicken thighs all work great. In a pinch, leftover turkey, canned chicken, or seasoned, baked tofu are good options if you want to keep it lighter or go plant-based.

Aim for a uniform, bite-sized chop — roughly 1/4-inch pieces for most vegetables. For the cabbage, a thin shred or rough chop both work. A sharp chef’s knife or a mandoline (for the cabbage and carrots) makes quick work of it.

Side-angled view of Chili Crisp Chopped Chicken Salad in a bowl with a fork.

Once you make this salad, I have a feeling it’s going to earn a regular spot in your warm-weather rotation. It’s fast, it uses up leftover chicken brilliantly, and that chili crisp dressing is something you’ll want to put on everything. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear what you think — drop a comment below and let me know! Your feedback ratings help independent content creators like me afloat.

Chili Crisp Chopped Chicken Salad

by Karen Gibson

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A quick, no-cook chopped chicken salad with cabbage, carrots, red bell pepper, green onions, cilantro, and crunchy peanuts, tossed in a creamy chili crisp dressing made with Dijon mustard, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and toasted sesame oil. Ready in minutes using rotisserie or leftover chicken.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 0

Total Time 15

Ingredients

Dressing:

3/4 cup mayo
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons chili crisp
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Pinch of salt

Salad

12 ounces finely sliced or angel hair cabbage
2 cups cooked or rotisserie chicken
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped red bell peppers
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
3 green onions , thinly sliced, white and green parts
2 ounces salt roasted peanuts , chopped
Chow mein noodles , optional garnish

Instructions

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Make the dressing:

Add all ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk well to fully combine. Taste, and tweak the salt and acid to suit (e.g., you might prefer an additional splash of rice vinegar to bring out the brightness, and another pinch of salt).

Assemble the salad:

Toss the cabbage, chicken, carrots, peppers, green onions, and half of the cilantro together in a large bowl.
Pour in about half of the dressing mix well. Add more dressing as you like (the recipe is meant to use the full amount of the dressing, but you can use just part if you prefer a drier salad).
Top with the remaining cilantro, the peanuts, and chow mein noodles, if using.

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Video

Notes

The dressing can be prepared a day ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. The salad ingredients can also be tossed ahead of time and kept in the fridge.

I prefer this salad when freshly mixed, although the dressed salad can be stored in the fridge for two or three days. I always make a big batch (i.e., the recipe as written), and toss together half of the dressing and half of the salad for a meal, and the store the remaining dressing and salad separately in the fridge. This way, I can tweak the dressing when mixing the salad for lunch: The chili crisp mellows in the creamy dressing, and I usually add another blop of chili crisp, plus a little more vinegar, for leftovers.

Keyword chili crisp chopped chicken salad, chopped chicken salad

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