Okay, so, today I tried to make that Chinese Chicken Salad from California Pizza Kitchen. Let me tell you, it was a journey. I decided to give it a shot because I love the salad, and I thought, “How hard can it be?”
First, I gathered all the ingredients. I already had some stuff at home, but I had to run to the store for a few things like wonton strips and rice sticks. Finding them took a bit of time because I had never purchased before. I also didn’t know how to make these things from scratch, so I bought ready-made items.
Then, I started with the chicken. I cooked two chicken breasts. I seasoned them with just salt and pepper, nothing fancy, and baked them in the oven. While the chicken was cooking, I chopped up a bunch of veggies – Napa cabbage, romaine lettuce, carrots, and some cilantro.
The dressing was the tricky part. It’s got this sweet and tangy flavor that I love. I mixed together soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, and some ginger. It took a few tries to get the balance right. I kept tasting and adjusting until it was close enough to the real deal.
Once the chicken was cooked, I let it cool for a bit, and then I shredded it up. After that, I fried the wonton strips and rice sticks. I put them in hot oil for just a few seconds until they puffed up and got crispy.
Finally, I tossed everything together in a big bowl – the lettuce, cabbage, carrots, cilantro, shredded chicken, and the crispy wonton and rice sticks. I poured the dressing over the top and mixed it all up.
It turned out pretty good! I mean, it wasn’t exactly like California Pizza Kitchen’s, but it was close. My family liked it, which is always a plus. It was a bit of work, but definitely worth it. I’ll probably make it again sometime, but maybe I’ll try to find a shortcut for the dressing next time, haha!
- Cooked chicken breast
- Chopped Napa cabbage
- Chopped romaine lettuce
- Shredded carrots
- Chopped cilantro
- Fried wonton strips
- Fried rice sticks
- Made dressing: soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, ginger
My Tips
- Don’t overcook the chicken.
- Taste and adjust the dressing as you go.
- Fry the wonton strips and rice sticks last so they stay crispy.
All in all, it was a fun cooking adventure. If you’re a fan of California Pizza Kitchen’s Chinese Chicken Salad, you should totally try making it at home!
