Crunchy cabbage, tender chicken, green onions, and mandarin oranges combine to make the perfect Asian slaw! This salad is topped with a delicious sweet and sour dressing to finish things off. Make a big batch and take this to a potluck or party!

Have you ever had that crunchy ramen noodle salad that’s so popular at potlucks? Maybe not, because it has wheat in the ramen noodles, and soy and sesame in the dressing.
Well, my mom used to make that salad all the time, but she would also add chicken to it, which was a nice addition – it made it more filling.
We hadn’t made that salad in many years due to food allergies, and I started thinking about it the other day, wondering if I could make a version that was gluten free, soy free, and sesame free.
I got right to work, and I’m so pleased with the result! It is a little bit different, because I left the ramen noodles out. I just don’t think gluten free ramen noodles would work well here, and I don’t think they’re needed! The cabbage provides plenty of crunch already.
The original dressing called for soy sauce, and since that’s such a common allergen, I chose to substitute coconut aminos. I was really happy with the flavor of the dressing – the coconut aminos worked very well.
Give this Asian chicken slaw a try – I think you’ll love it!
Ingredient Notes
- Cabbage – I used a bag of coleslaw mix that contained shredded cabbage and carrots. You could also shred your own cabbage and carrots.
- Mandarin Oranges – I used canned mandarin oranges in juice. Be sure to drain the juice out so they aren’t so wet. You could also use fresh oranges if you prefer.
- Chicken – You need about a cup of cooked, shredded, chicken breast. You can make this yourself, or you could use canned chicken or even rotisserie chicken.
- Coconut Aminos – Coconut aminos are a great alternative to soy sauce or tamari sauce, since they are soy free and gluten free. If you are able to eat soy, feel free to use either soy sauce or tamari sauce.
Variations
- If you’d like more crunch, add some sunflower seeds to this salad, or if you can have nuts, some slivered almonds.
- If you’d like to see more color, add some shredded red cabbage to the mix.
- In place of green onions, try adding fresh chives.
- You could add bean sprouts to this salad if you like.
Step by Step Instructions
- Place the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.
- Put the coleslaw mix, chicken, green onions, and mandarin oranges in a large bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients.
- Stir to make sure everything is coated with dressing. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Storage
Store leftover slaw in the refrigerator. It should stay fresh for about 3-4 days.
Learn to make SAFE, tasty food for your family. Join my community today and start getting all my best tips, tricks, and allergy friendly recipes in your inbox.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Recipe
Asian Chicken Slaw (Gluten Free).
Ingredients
- 16 ounces coleslaw mix
- 1 bunch green onions
- 16 ounces canned mandarin oranges drained – you could also use fresh oranges if desired
- 1 cup cooked chicken breast shredded
For the dressing:
- ½ cup olive oil
- â…“ cup apple cider vinegar
- â…“ cup organic cane sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons coconut aminos
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Place the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
- Put the coleslaw mix, green onions, chicken, and drained mandarin oranges in a large bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the salad. Stir well and make sure everything gets coated with dressing.
- Enjoy right away or store in the refrigerator until it's time to serve the slaw.
Jaye
I do miss that Ramen Noodle salad. This was a great replacement. This made a nice dinner for my family and got us out of our dinner rut.
Deborah
It is delicious! Took it to a church potluck. I just added cashews before serving. Might try it with a bit of dark sesame oil next time too. Thanks again for you great recipes.
Kelly Roenicke
So glad you enjoyed this! Thank you for letting me know!
Darryl
My favorite salad recipe!