Founded by Bob Mandler in California in 1983, Chin Chin quickly became a West Hollywood hotspot, where celebrities dined on dim sum and the iconic Chinese chicken salad with red ginger dressing. The original Sunset Boulevard location closed in 2025 after more than 40 years, but four others are still open in California. And there’s also a Chin Chin in Las Vegas at the New York, New York casino, which made it easy for me to dive into the salad and get a sample to go.

To create my Chin Chin Famous Chinese Chicken Salad copycat recipe, I started by hacking the famous red ginger dressing. The secret ingredient is julienned ginger pickled in a red brine, and it’s easy to find online. It isn’t true red ginger, but the taste and color work great when combined with soy sauce, red wine vinegar, sesame oil, and the other ingredients. You’ll get 1¼ cups of cloned dressing, which is plenty for two big salads, or four smaller ones.

After roasting and chilling a few chicken breasts, and making wonton crisps and fried rice noodles, you’ll be ready to toss your salads with the dressing and pile them high on serving plates. Sprinkle the salads with crispy noodles, green onions, and sliced almonds, and treat your taste buds to a classic dish from Hollywood’s Sunset Strip.

Find more of my salad knock-off recipes here.