Mason Jar Asian Chicken Salad

This post may contain affiliate links, please see the privacy policy for details.

If you love a fresh, flavorful meal prep idea, this mason jar Asian chicken salad is a must-try! Packed with crunchy veggies like carrots, bell peppers, cabbage, and cucumber, plus juicy chicken and sweet oranges, every bite is full of texture and taste. The crispy chow mein noodles add just the right amount of crunch, but the real star is the creamy peanut dressing—seriously, you’ll want to drizzle it on everything! These salads stay fresh for days, making them perfect for busy weekdays, grab-and-go lunches, or even a last-minute picnic. Wholesome, delicious, and ridiculously easy—what’s not to love?

Four Mason jars filled with layered Asian chicken salad ingredients, including lettuce, mandarins, chicken, cucumber, and purple cabbage, are artfully arranged on a wooden board.

Try this delicious mason jar Asian chicken salad for quick and easy lunches. This simple recipe is perfect for meal prep and just bursting with incredible flavors.

More recipes to try include Olivier salad, antipasto farro salad, autumn chicken salad, miso chicken soup, and this seafood pasta salad.

Mason Jar Asian Chicken Salad with greens, tender chicken, mandarins, cabbage, and dressing, topped with crispy noodles. Two chopsticks rest on top. Additional salad jars in the background.

Why You’ll Love It

Simple to make: Just whip up the dressing and add that along with the other salad ingredients to your mason jar.
Perfect for meal prep: These keep for days so you can make your lunches for the whole week ahead.
Ideal for work: You can bring this portable meal with you to work or wherever you’re heading.
Time-saving: When you meal prep a batch of these mason jar Asian salads, all you have to do at lunchtime is pour the salad out into a serving bowl.
Really tasty: Asian chicken salad is always delicious and this recipe includes all the classic Asian chicken salad ingredients you love.
Gluten-free and dairy-free: There’s no gluten or dairy in here!

A white bowl of delicious Asian Chicken Salad features shredded chicken, greens, cucumbers, and crispy noodles. Chopsticks rest on the bowl while two mason jars filled with similar vibrant ingredients add a charming backdrop.

Asian Chicken Salad Jars Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Chicken breasts: I like to use boneless skinless chicken. You could use chicken thighs if you prefer. Rotisserie chicken is a shortcut option.
Vegetables: Cucumbers, carrots, red bell peppers, onions, and cabbage add crunch and color.
Orange segments: I like to use Cuties, which are a hybrid of sweet oranges and mandarins. Any fresh orange will work.
Mixed greens: Romaine, baby spinach, iceberg, baby kale – just use any greens or any combination of greens you like.
Chow mein noodles: For crunch!
Peanut butter: The main ingredient in the dressing.
Brown sugar: To sweeten the dressing.
Garlic and ginger: For adding aromatic appeal to the peanut dressing.
Sesame oil: Another Asian favorite.

A Mason Jar Asian Chicken Salad comes together with ingredients spread across a marble surface: sliced red peppers, cucumbers, scallions, shredded chicken, and chow mein noodles. Add mixed greens, ginger, soy sauce, peanut butter, and mandarin orange slices for a vibrant dish.

How to Make Asian Chicken Mason Jar Salad

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Make the dressing: Whisk the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, ginger, water, and sesame oil together. Add more water if it’s too thick.
Assemble the salads: Divide the dressing between 4 mason jars. Next add the vegetables, chicken and oranges. After that, add mixed greens, green onions and chow mein noodles.
Cover and chill: Put the lids on the mason jars and refrigerate.

A Mason Jar Asian Chicken Salad features greens, shredded chicken, mandarin slices, cucumbers, and crispy noodles in a white bowl. It's topped with dressing and accompanied by chopsticks resting on the side.

Substitutions and Variations

Chicken: Grill or bake your own or use shredded rotisserie chicken.
Chow mein noodles: Substitute roasted peanuts, cashews or almonds.
Gluten free version: Use gluten free chow mein (I like this one!) instead.
Vegetarian version: Replace chicken with shelled edamame or tofu for a vegetarian option.
Orange segments: Swap the orange for mango or pineapple chunks.
Other veggies: Sweet peas or napa cabbage would be good.
Sesame oil: If you don’t have any you could use olive oil and maybe add some roasted sesame seeds instead.
Avocado: Creamy, nutty avocado would also be good in these salads but I recommend tossing the pieces in lime juice first so it doesn’t brown so fast.
Include grains: Add a layer of cooked brown or white rice or quinoa.
Spice it up: For a kick of spice, add a teaspoon of sriracha or red pepper flakes to the dressing.
Peanut butter: Use cashew or almond butter instead, or substitute tahini or sesame butter for a nut-free option.

Layered Mason jar Asian chicken salad with greens, juicy oranges, and vibrant cabbage is garnished with crunchy noodles and drizzled with a zesty dressing. Perfectly presented on a wooden board for a delightful meal.

Serving Suggestions

With soup: Enjoy wonton noodle soup or coconut lentil curry soup with your mason jar salad.
Side dishes: Other dishes you can serve include Asian zoodle salad and bowls of ramen soup. Hibachi fried rice is another option.

A bowl of salad with mixed greens, shredded chicken, cucumbers, mandarin slices, and crispy noodles sits beside two mason jars filled with Asian-inspired chicken salad ingredients.

How to Store Mason Jar Asian Salads

Store: Keep the sealed jars in the refrigerator and eat within 4 days.
Freeze: This mason jar salad isn’t suitable for freezing.

Top Tips

Adjust the dressing consistency: Adjust the thickness of the dressing by adding warm water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dressing is pourable.
Store them upright: Keep the jars upright in the fridge to maintain the layering.
Wide mouth mason jars: Using wide mouth jars is recommended, so you can add the ingredients easily. I love these meal prep mason jars!
Shake before serving: Shake the jar a little before pouring your Asian chicken salad into a bowl, as this will help distribute the dressing evenly.

A vibrant Mason Jar Asian Chicken Salad with layers of greens, tender chicken, and juicy orange slices. Perfectly complemented by tangy dressing, it sits invitingly on a wooden board, accompanied by fresh green onions and mandarin slices.

Asian Chicken Salad Jars FAQs

Why is the layering order important?

When layering your ingredients in the mason jars, always start with dressing at the bottom of the jars to keep the other ingredients fresh and prevent the greens from wilting. Layer with the heavier vegetables first (cucumbers, bell pepper and carrots) and then the rest of the ingredients, finishing with the green onions and chow mein noodles on top.

Can I use a different dressing?

If you’re not keen on peanut dressing, you can use any Asian style dressing you like.

Do I have to shred the chicken?

No, you can chop or slice it if you want larger pieces.

A Mason Jar Asian Chicken Salad with leafy greens, tender chicken strips, mandarin slices, and crunchy toppings sits on a wooden board adorned with sliced scallions and a halved cabbage nearby.

Best Asian Chicken Mason Jar Salad Recipe

Ingredients on a countertop: a Mason jar for the Asian Chicken Salad, soy sauce in a glass measuring cup, mandarin slices, green onions, sliced red pepper, ginger root, chow mein noodles, and a white towel.

A glass bowl with peanut sauce and a whisk sits on a marble countertop, enveloped in the vibrant ingredients for an Asian chicken salad: fresh green onions, zesty ginger, mandarins, and a bright red bell pepper. Perfectly portioned for your favorite mason jar lunch.

Treat your taste buds to this mouthwatering Asian salad in a jar. Delivering amazing flavors in every mouthful, this is the kind of mason jar salad recipe you’ll want to make often. Juicy chicken, crisp salad vegetables, mandarin orange segments and crunchy chow mein noodles pair with a richly flavored peanut sauce. It’s so delicious.

Other Recipes to Try

Set on a wooden surface, mason jars brim with colorful Asian chicken salad, featuring layered vegetables, tender chicken, and juicy mandarin oranges. A text overlay gracefully reads: "Mason Jar Asian Chicken Salad".

Enjoy a Mason Jar Asian Chicken Salad, brimming with fresh greens, juicy mandarin slices, tender chicken pieces, and crispy noodles for a delightful crunch.

Bella Bucchiotti

Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.