Featured Comment:
“I did some batch production on the salad chicken, and it’s perfect every single time. Very forgiving recipe if you don’t follow 1:1 in quantities etc.”
– Isa
What is Japanese Chicken Salad?
Japanese chicken salad is a simple dish made with chicken and vegetables, with some Japanese elements added. However, it’s important to note that “Japanese Chicken Salad” isn’t a traditional Japanese dish. While plenty of chicken dishes are served with salad in Japan, the term “chicken salad” isn’t commonly used there.
To make a chicken salad with Japanese flavors, you’ll need to cook the chicken using traditional Japanese methods and add a dressing that’s commonly used in Japan known as “wafu dressing” (和風ドレシング).
Today, I’ll be showing you how to make a Japanese-style chicken salad using a specific ingredient known as “salad chicken.” It’s a nutritious and easy-to-make meal that’s perfect for any occasion.
Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Japanese-style Chicken Salad at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
1. Salad Chicken
Start by drying the chicken with kitchen paper.
Use a fork to pierce both sides thoroughly. Not only does this tenderize the meat, but it also helps it absorb more flavour from the marinade.
Next, sprinkle with salt and rub the surface with a thin layer of cornstarch on both sides.
Take a microwavable bowl and add the sake, Chinese chicken stock powder, sugar, mirin and salt. Mix well.
Place the chicken breast in the bowl and place plastic wrap loosely over the top. Microwave for 2 mins at 600W.
Carefully peel back the plastic wrap and turn the chicken breast over. Cover tightly and microwave for another 2 minutes at 600W.
One of my readers kindly shared her alternative method to the microwave approach:
- Poke the chicken and gently pound the thicker parts to even them out.
- Salt the chicken well in advance.
- Pat it dry and let it come to room temperature.
- Place it in a pot filled halfway with cold water.
- Add 1 tablespoon of Asian chicken bouillon powder and a few white peppercorns (optional).
- Slowly bring the water to a boil.
- Once it reaches a full boil, let it boil for about 3 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let the chicken cool completely in the poaching liquid, keeping the lid closed the entire time.
Thank you, Peti!
Once microwaved, the final and most important step is to leave the chicken in the microwave for 10 minutes without opening the door.
During these 10 minutes, the chicken will continue to cook in the steam and residual heat. If you take it out too early, there’s a good chance the chicken won’t be cooked. In the meantime, you can prepare the dressing and vegetables.
For perfectly cooked chicken breast, it should reach an internal temperature of 73ºC (165ºF). But as it continues to cook in the steam, it may be difficult to get an accurate temperature reading once it’s done. When serving, cut the chicken into slices and ensure there are no pink spots. Undercooked parts can be microwaved in 30-second increments.
Microwave cooking times may vary. For a 250g breast, microwave for 4 minutes at 600W with 10 minutes of steaming. If using larger breasts, cut them in half and cook them longer. Chicken tenderloins need 3 minutes, turning halfway.
If the chicken is dry, you microwaved it for too long. Note the weight and time for next time.
Jump to Full Recipe Measurements2. Wafu Dressing
Add the soy sauce, mirin, and sugar to a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
Let it boil for about 30-40 seconds to burn off the alcohol in the mirin and dissolve the sugar, then remove it from the heat.
Take a jug and add the sesame seeds, sesame oil, olive oil, garlic paste, lemon juice, and white pepper.
Swirl the pan around to help cool it slightly, and then pour the soy sauce, mirin, and sugar mixture into the jug.
When the chicken has finished the 10 minutes of steaming time, transfer it to a chopping board and pour the juices left in the bottom of the bowl into the dressing.
3. Assemble the salad
If you are using broccoli, wash it and cut it into florets. Place them in a microwavable bowl with 1 tbsp of water and cover. Microwave for 3 minutes at 600W.
Be careful of the steam when uncovering.
Cut the chicken into slices. This is not only for presentation and easy eating but also a good opportunity to ensure it’s fully cooked in the middle.
Arrange your choice of vegetables into serving bowls and place the chicken on top. I also placed soft-boiled eggs around the edge.
Mix the dressing again before drizzling it over the chicken and vegetables.
I hope you enjoy this Japanese Chicken Salad recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!
More Japanese Salad Recipes
- Japanese Potato Salad (Izakaya Style)
- Wakame Salad (Japanese Seaweed Salad)
- Japanese Style Avocado Egg Salad with Wasabi Mayo
- Sashimi Salad (with Homemade Japanese Wafu Dressing)
Want more inspiration? Explore my Japanese Salad Roundup Post for a carefully selected collection of tasty recipe ideas to spark your next meal!
Japanese Chicken Salad (with Homemade Dressing)
Ingredients
Salad Chicken
- 250 g chicken breast
- 2 pinches salt
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- ½ tbsp sake
- 1 tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp sugar
- 1 tsp mirin
Homemade Wafu Dressing
- 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
- ½ tbsp toasted sesame oil
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp garlic paste
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch ground white pepper
- juice from the chicken
Suggested Salad Ingredients
- 2 boiled egg
- 200 g broccoli steamed, bitesize florets
- 150 g mixed leaf lettuce
- 100 g mini tomatoes
My recommended brands of ingredients and seasonings can be found in my Japanese pantry guide.
Can’t find certain Japanese ingredients? See my substitution guide here.
Instructions
- Dry the surface of 250 g chicken breast with a paper towel.
- Stab with a fork all over on both sides.
- Sprinkle both sides with 2 pinches salt and 1 tsp cornstarch.
- Take a microwavable bowl and add ½ tbsp sake, 1 tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder, ¼ tsp sugar, 1 tsp mirin and ½ tsp salt. Mix well.
- Add the chicken breast to the bowl and place cling film loosely over the top. Microwave for 2 mins on 600W.
- Flip the chicken over (be careful of the steam), place the cling film tightly back on and heat for another 2 mins 600w. Leave the bowl in the microwave and allow the chicken to rest in the steam for 10 minutes. It will continue to cook in the residual heat.
- To make the dressing, add 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 1 tbsp mirin and 1 tsp sugar together in a small saucepan. Heat up and allow to boil for 30 seconds, then remove from the heat.
- Take a jug and add ½ tbsp toasted white sesame seeds, ½ tbsp toasted sesame oil, ½ tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp garlic paste, ½ tsp lemon juice and 1 pinch ground white pepper. Pour the contents of the sauce pan into the jug and mix.
- Remove the chicken from the microwave, transfer it to a chopping board and leave to cool for a few minutes. Pour the chicken juices from the bowl into the dressing and mix.
- Once the chicken is cool to the touch, cut into slices.
- Arrange your salad vegetables in a large bowl and place the chicken on top.
- Drizzle with sauce just before serving.
- Enjoy!
Perfect, fast & fail proof. Amazing turnout. Juicy, tender, delicious. 5-star.
Hi Isa,
Thank you for leaving a comment on this post too! I really appreciate it! 🙂
Yuto
I did some batch production on the salad chicken, and it’s perfect every single time. Very forgiving recipe if you don’t follow 1:1 in quantities etc. Picture shows chicken w dashi chazuke
Hi Isa,
Thank you for making the salad chicken again! I’m happy to see you’ve been experimenting with different sides – the pairing sounds wonderful!
Yuto
This was today’s perfect light Sunday lunch at 34 degrees C There is no more microwave in the household but here’s my method for best poaching results: poke the chicken, even out thicker parts by pounding it, salt it way beforehand, pat it dry and bring it to room temperature and into an only half-full pot of cold water (with a tbs Youki, I also add some white peppercorns) Slowly bring it to a boil and let it fully boil for about 3 min. Take off the stove and let it cool completely in the poaching liquid, lid closed at any time. It takes a while but works very well and can be done the day before enjoying this beautiful salad.
Hi Peti,
Thank you so much for trying this recipe and I’m happy that you enjoyed it! 🙂 I also really appreciate you posting this alternative method! Love how precise your steps are, definitely a golden tip for anyone who wants to cook chicken without microwave in the future!
Yuto