When I think of Spring with my family, I think of gatherings with family and friends, taking our first swim in the pool, wearing shorts and a sweatshirt and my Keds with no socks, and my mom making light dishes in celebration of the warmer weather. One of those dishes is one of my all-time favorites, her Plum Sauce on Chicken Salad. The crunch, the scent, and the sweet/tart flavor all bring me back to those blissful days.
I’ve had a hankering for my mom’s refreshing salad for a while, after a winter of heavy recipes. So I headed to the store to gather my ingredients.
Creating the Perfect Chinese Plum Sauce
While you can buy jarred Chinese plum sauce, making your own adds a depth and complexity that store-bought versions lack. I found most of my ingredients to recreate my mom’s recipe: Chicken breast and lettuce for the main part of the salad, plums and sweet chili sauce to make the dressing, sliced almonds, and (my favorite part!) pineapple rings and mandarin oranges for the fun butterfly garnish.
To make the plum glaze dressing, you can use fresh plums (like red plums or black plums) cooked down with sugar and lemon juice. This base is essentially a quick plum jam. To give it that authentic Asian flair, add grated fresh ginger, a clove of garlic, white vinegar, and sweet chili sauce.
For an extra kick, a pinch of five-spice powder adds a wonderful warmth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer until the sauce comes together. If you find the sauce would be too thick, you can thin it with pineapple juice. This sticky sauce strikes the perfect balance between tangy, sweet, and spicy.
Preparing the Chicken: Roast or Grill?
For the protein, I bought some bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts and I roasted them in the oven. However, this salad is incredibly versatile. You could easily swap in chicken thighs for a richer flavor. If the weather is nice, grill the meat to make grilled chicken. You can even marinate the chicken in a mixture of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil before cooking to ensure juicy chicken.
If you choose to grill, cook on medium heat for a few minutes on each side until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. You can baste the chicken with a little bit of the plum sauce in the final minutes to create a sticky chicken glaze. Once the cooked chicken has cooled, shred it or cut it into bite-sized chicken pieces. This is also a great recipe using leftover rotisserie chicken or baked chicken from a previous meal.
The Crispy Noodle Topping
I had ginger on hand along with dry rice noodles (also known as mai fun, rice sticks, or rice vermicelli). Or, you can use “bean threads”. The noodles will be deep fried and used as a garnish. If you want an alternative, you can make some udon noodles, prepare them according to the package directions, allow to cool and mix them with the lettuce.
We are going to start with deep frying the noodles because heating that oil takes FOREVER! You really need to heat the oil to 350 degrees and use enough to cover the noodles, or you will not get the lightly crispy noodles you want. Use a candy thermometer to make sure the oil is hot enough.
Testing the Oil
You can test the oil’s readiness by dropping in a few strands. If it immediately puffs up and starts crackling, the oil is ready. If it feels like you’re chewing on a fish bone, it’s not ready. When the oil is ready, fry the noodles in a few batches and drain on a paper towel.
Assembly: The Butterfly Garnish
Now that you’ve cooked and cooled everything that needs cooking and cooling, you can shred the lettuce. Then the fun part…the butterfly pineapples! This is the part I remember most from my childhood. First, cut a pineapple ring into quarters. Then take two pieces, and put them together, curve to curve. Then take two mandarin oranges and put them back to back, on top of the pineapples. Ta-daaah, pineapple butterflies, perfect to welcome Spring.
Time to assemble the salad. Line up the pineapple butterflies along the edges of an oval platter. Toss some of the dressing with the lettuce and add that to the platter. Next, layer the chicken on top with some sliced almonds (which you can toast in a dry pan to brown and bring out the flavor) and chopped parsley. Drizzle more dressing on top of the chicken, and finally, put the crunchy noodles on top.
It’s the day after I made this salad, and I can still smell the plum sauce perfuming my home. It transforms me back to those Spring days. This fantastic recipe is sure to become a staple in your home.
Plum Sauce on Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Split Chicken Breasts (with ribs) or chicken thighs
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- 2 Tbs soy sauce
- 1 Head iceberg lettuce
- About 8 ripe plums (red plums or black plums)
- 1 lemon
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 Tbs sweet chili sauce
- 2 Tbs white vinegar
- 2 Tbs pineapple juice
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1/2 tsp ginger, grated
- 3 oz (half a package) rice noodles
- 3 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
- 1 can pineapple rings
- 1 can mandarin oranges
- 2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Directions
Heat vegetable oil in a pan that is at least 2 inches high to 350 degrees F. When the oil is ready, add the rice noodles to the oil in small batches. When it puffs up and stops crackling, turn the noodles over to make sure all of the noodles have cooked. Remove and drain on a paper towel to cool. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Trim excess fat from chicken breasts and coat the chicken with olive oil and soy sauce. Roast for 35-45 minutes. When cool, shred chicken with a knife or with fingers, and set aside. (Alternatively, you can grill the chicken on medium heat).
To make the plum sauce dressing, peel and chop about 8 ripe plums. Place in a saucepan with sugar and the juice of the lemon. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, about 45 minutes. Then add white vinegar, ginger, garlic, and sweet chili sauce. Taste the sauce and adjust tartness as needed. Thicken or thin the sauce if needed with pineapple juice. Allow to cool.
Cut pineapple rings into quarters and create butterflies: take two quarter pieces and place them curve to curve along the edge of a platter. Place two mandarin orange slices on top of the pineapple pieces. Then add a layer of shredded lettuce tossed with a few tablespoons of plum sauce dressing, followed by a layer of shredded chicken topped with more dressing, followed by the toasted almonds, chopped parsley, and finally the deep fried rice noodles.
More Ideas and Tips
This lovely recipe is versatile. If you have leftover plum sauce, it makes a great plum glaze for pork or duck. You can also use it as a stir fry sauce; simply stir veggies and meat in a hot wok and add a splash of the sauce at the end. For a gluten free version, ensure your soy sauce and noodles are certified gluten-free.
If you want to serve this as a hot chicken dish, you can cook the chicken fresh, glaze it with the sauce, and serve with rice. Coconut rice or simple steamed rice works perfectly. Recipes you might like often pair fruit with meat, and this Chinese plum combination is classic. If you need to reheat leftovers, do so gently on low heat so the chicken doesn’t dry out.
Conclusion
Spring is finally here! And what better way to welcome the season than with a delicious and refreshing Plum Sauce on Chicken Salad. This easy and quick delicious recipe is perfect for any time of year and will leave your taste buds longing for more. Whether you baked chicken or fired up the grill, the result is a sweet and savory masterpiece. Will you try it out? We hope so! Keep an eye out for our upcoming blog posts where we will be sharing more delicious recipes like this one. In the meantime, happy cooking!
FAQs
Q: What is the best way to make plum sauce on chicken using five spice?
A: Use a plum glaze recipe that balances tart plum preserves with five spice powder, soy sauce, garlic and ginger, and a touch of vinegar for brightness. Marinate the chicken briefly in a mixture containing some of the plum sauce as a marinade ingredient, then brush more glaze on while you cook so the five spice flavors become fragrant without overpowering the meat.
Q: How do I prepare a marinade for plum chicken so it stays juicy?
A: A good marinade should include plum preserves or puree, soy, a bit of oil, garlic and ginger, and optional five spice. Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight depending on the thickness of the pieces. When ready, add the chicken to a hot pan or grill and cook until internal temperature is safe, finishing with extra glaze.
Q: Can I make a quick plum salsa to serve with chicken?
A: Yes—combine diced plums, red onion, cilantro, a splash of lime, and a little chopped chili for heat. This tart plum salsa complements fried or roasted chicken by adding freshness; you can also spoon some salsa over rice and steamed vegetables or mix a small amount into the plum glaze for contrast.
Q: Should I cook the chicken over high heat or cook on low when using plum sauce?
A: Start on high heat to sear and lock in juices, then lower the heat to finish cooking through without burning the glaze. If you’re using a pan sauce, heat until the sauce simmers, then cook on low while basting so the glaze thickens and clings to the chicken.
Q: What do I do if sauce left in the pan becomes too thick or too thin?
A: If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of water, stock, or soy and heat gently while stirring to reach the desired consistency. If it’s too thin, simmer over medium heat until reduced—depending on the thickness you want—stirring often. Use a small splash of cornstarch slurry to speed thickening if needed.
