Chinese Chicken Dense Bean Salad

Name: Chinese Chicken Dense Bean Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 can butter beans (drained and rinsed); 2 cups shelled edamame (thawed frozen or fresh); 2 cups roughly chopped red cabbage; 2 cups roughly chopped napa cabbage; 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken breast (about 2 breasts); 6 thinly sliced green onions (plus extra for topping); ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro; ½ cup roughly chopped roasted almonds (plus extra for topping); 3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds; 3 fresh mandarins (or canned mandarins); ⅓ cup rice vinegar; ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari if gluten-free); ⅓ cup toasted sesame oil; 3 tbsp honey; 2 tbsp freshly grated ginger; 3 cloves garlic (finely grated); 2 tsp chili crisp (optional)

In this post:

Why You’ll Love It
Key Ingredients
How to Make It
Victoria’s Tips
Swaps & Variations
Storage & Meal Prep
FAQ
More Dense Bean Salad Recipes
The Recipe
More Recipes To Try

While I can’t take credit for the concept of the dense bean salad (thank you, Violet Witchel), they really are one of the best meal prep options.

And I know you guys agree, because every time I put out a new recipe, it’s an instant hit. So here’s the latest addition to the lineup: a chinese chicken dense bean salad.

All the things you love about a classic chinese chicken salad, but with beans as the base instead of lettuce.

It combines two types of beans (butter beans and edamame), red and napa cabbage, a bunch of shredded rotisserie chicken, fresh herbs, and roasted almonds for that signature crunch. I use fresh mandarins instead of canned, but your choice either way. All tossed in a ginger soy dressing.

Just 20 minutes to throw together, 39 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber per serving. This is the type of meal you’re going to look forward to eating, and it’ll keep you full and satisfied all the way to dinner.

For more dense bean salad recipes:

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Two white bowls of chinese chicken dense bean salad with butter beans, edamame, mandarin, and almonds

Why You’ll Love It

All the flavors you love about a classic chinese chicken salad. Ginger soy dressing, sweet mandarin, toasted sesame, roasted almonds, shredded chicken, crunchy cabbage, and fresh herbs.
High-protein and high-fiber. With 39 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber per serving, this chinese chicken dense bean salad will keep you full and satisfied for hours.
Designed for meal prep. Swapping lettuce for beans means nothing will get wilted or sad. Holds up great in the fridge for days.
Done in 20 minutes, no cooking required. Just chop, mix, and enjoy.

Loved this? Give my Italian Grinder Bean Salad a try next. Garbanzo beans, white beans, turkey, salami, and provolone tossed in a creamy Greek yogurt dressing.

close up of chinese chicken dense bean salad with mandarins and roasted almonds

Key Ingredients

Made with simple ingredients, this chinese chicken dense bean salad features:

Butter beans and edamame make up the base of the salad. Both bring a bunch of protein and fiber.
Rotisserie chicken is the best no-cook shortcut here. Just shred the breast, toss it in the salad, and you’re ready to go.
Red and napa cabbage build the crunchy base. They’re way sturdier than lettuce and hold up in the fridge for days without going limp and soggy.
Fresh herbs. I always go with cilantro and scallions for a fresh, bright, herby punch in every bite.
Mandarins. I like to use fresh, but you can also use canned for that bright citrus sweetness so signature to a chinese chicken salad.
Roasted almonds. Every chinese chicken salad needs some good crunch, and roasted almonds are the move here because they stay crisp in the dressing for multiple days.
Ginger soy dressing is what brings it all together. Equal parts rice vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, and toasted sesame oil with fresh ginger and garlic, plus a little optional chili crisp if you’d like some heat.

Looking for more meal prep ideas? Check out 29 High-Protein Cold Lunches for Work each with 30+ grams of protein per serving.

How to Make It

This salad couldn’t be easier to make. Simply chop up the ingredients, throw them in a bowl, and toss with the delicious ginger soy dressing.

Single bowl of dense bean salad with chicken topped with sesame seeds and scallions

Chop and combine
Drain and rinse your beans, then combine with your chopped cabbage, herbs, almonds, mandarins, and chicken, and sesame seeds.

High protein dense bean salad with chicken tossed in a large mixing bowl ready to serve

Dress and toss
Pour over the ginger soy dressing and toss until well combined. Top with extra green onions and toasted sesame seeds just before eating.

Looking for more dense bean salad recipes? My La Scala Dense Bean Salad is a must-try! It combines beans, salami, mozzarella pearls, roasted red peppers, and loads of parmesan in a bold Leon-style vinaigrette.

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Victoria’s Tips

This chinese chicken dense bean salad is fairly foolproof, but here are a couple of tips to make sure it turns out great.

Chop your cabbage roughly the same size as your beans for even pieces in every bite.
Adjust the salt to taste. After tossing the salad with the dressing, give it a taste and add more salt if needed.
Store the almonds and sesame seeds separately so they stay crunchy all week long.

Swaps & Variations

This recipe is so easy to adapt and customize. Here are a couple of suggestions:

Swap the beans. Cannellini, great northern, and chickpeas all work really well in place of butter beans.
Try a different protein. Instead of rotisserie chicken, try any leftover or poached chicken. For a vegetarian version, throw in some crispy tofu.
Switch up the nuts. Cashews and peanuts work just as well in place of almonds. To keep things nut-free, try roasted sunflower seeds or just extra toasted sesame seeds.
Fresh or canned mandarins. Both work great. Fresh is slightly healthier because it has less sugar, but both add the bright citrus sweetness you can’t make a chinese chicken salad without.
Make it gluten-free. Swap the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos, and check the label on your chili crisp to make sure it’s gluten-free too.

Storage & Meal Prep

This salad is designed for meal prep. Divide into individual portions in airtight containers and keep in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Keep the almonds and sesame seeds in a separate small bag and add them right before eating so they stay fully crunchy.

FAQ

What is a dense bean salad?

A dense bean salad is a lettuce-free salad with a base of beans plus a bunch of chopped veggies, protein, and a punchy dressing. The “dense” part means it’s substantial enough to be a full meal, and skipping the lettuce means it holds up in the fridge for days without going wilted. The trend started with TikTok creator Violet Witchel.

How is this different from a classic chinese chicken salad?

Same flavor profile (ginger soy dressing, mandarin orange, sesame, almonds), but the base is beans instead of lettuce. That makes better for meal prep, higher in protein and fiber, and more satisfying overall.

How long does it last in the fridge?

Three to four days fully dressed in an airtight container. Keep the almonds and sesame seeds in a separate bag and add them right before eating so they stay fully crunchy.