Crispy Wonton Chicken Salad

I'm just here to say do yourself a favor and read the absolutely beautiful article Eric Kim wrote to introduce this recipe. It'll give you a big lump in your throat (NY Times Magazine, June 22, 2022).

Crispy, fried shallots or onions (store bought) is a brilliant substitute to the fried wontons...

I make a very similar cabbage-based version of this based off a Marion Grasby recipe. I like it because it uses up the wonton bags all the Chinese takeouts include here in NYC. I started adding duck sauce packets to the dressing, which is the only useful application I ever found (serving same purpose as apricot preserves here). Try adding in a diced red chile, some crushed peanuts, and fried shallots too!

Sometimes I think there should be a 24-hour "grace period" before comments are allowed here and elsewhere; it would give what is truly a negligible impulse -- "Oh, I should say this!" -- time to pass. Most people would move on after twenty-four hours to other opportunities to comment on other things, and the comments that do get made might be more pertinent. You're exactly right.

I’m having a hard time reading the notes in this recipe. No subs! No changes!!! Don’t mess w the The memory being invoked here. Eric not only gets the recipe right but all of the nostalgia too.

Pita chips would probably work pretty well.

I was wondering if fried chow mein noodles would be a good substitute, too.

I would take my late mother and father to Souplantation whenever they visited me in Southern California. My Dad would always ask if he could get me anything more, “It’s on me!” and we could groan from the dad joke. My mother perfected the art of removing the chicken from the chicken noodle soup and adding it to her salad. I miss my parents and I miss Souplantation. What a beautiful piece. Thank you Eric.

The first thing my father (now gone) always did after picking me up at the airport in Sarasota, FL was take me to Sweet Tomatoes (now, also gone). Sometimes, life just isn't. Life isn't always fair, especially when there's no great fare to get you through the day.

Cooked wonton wrappers for the first time, they were delish and I loved the crunch. I added mandarin for some extra sweetness and the salad dressing was perfect. Thank you.

Wonton substitute: Crush a third or half package of ramen noodles into smallish pieces and fry in butter until brown, adding a handful sesame seeds at the last minute. Salt if using unsalted butter.

I added mandarin oranges and toasted almond slivers. Delicious!

Chili powder might suffice in a pinch, but tastes fairly generic. To get some flavor closer to Asia, sambal oelek or even sriracha would make for a more distinct and fresher flavor.

Sweet Tomatoes was Soup Plantation here. Still mourning so thank you for the recipe! I always went for this salad first.

Yes, read the article. This is why I favor recipes with "stories" attached instead of just a recipe by itself. All of us who loved Sweet Tomatoes & this salad would love the recipe alone but with this beautiful story that has parts we've all experienced makes me save it on my hard drive. Thx, Eric, for both of them.