This Asian-Inspired Chicken Salad is going to be your new favorite dish. It’s fresh, crunchy, packed with veggies, protein, and so much flavor. Trust me when I say you need to add this to your rotation immediately.
But what’s even better than the incredible taste of this salad is that it takes under 30 minutes to make. Which kind of makes it a no-brainer to whip up any night. Tossed in a homemade, drinkable dressing, I know you’ll be equally obsessed at first bite.
ASIAN-INSPIRED CHICKEN SALAD ON REPEAT
When I tell you I could eat this salad every day… it’s just so good! It’s quick and easy, tastes even better than any take-out or restaurant version, and honestly is the much healthier option. An all-around win.
I really can’t decide what I love most about this Asian-Inspired Chicken Salad – the base, or the dressing. Good thing I don’t have to, I guess!
What I can say, definitively, is that this is a salad that is made with all the healthy, better-for-you ingredients from start to finish, so it’s a dish you can feel good about serving any day.
Aside from the obvious fact that it’s a protein and veggie-packed dish, let me quickly highlight a few nutritious benefits of this salad. Both the cabbage and romaine lettuce are high in vitamin C, which is great for immunity. Plus, they’re a great source of fiber.
Cilantro helps to rid the body of heavy metals, and the dressing is made with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredients like fresh ginger, toasted sesame seeds + garlic, and natural sweeteners like raw honey. A yummy bowl of health, if you ask me!
DOUBLE DUTY SALAD
Not to mention, this Asian-Inspired Chicken Salad makes for a great appy kinda dish if you’re hosting or bringing it to a party. Either way, it’s bound to be a crowd-pleaser.
Gotta love a salad that doubles as a main and a side dish!
Perfect for all of the above, lunch or dinner, it’s super filling, crunchy, tasty, and can easily (+ quickly) be prepared ahead of time. You won’t be disappointed. Make this asap and let me know what you think below.
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:
For the Salad:
- Organic chicken breasts
- Carrots
- Purple cabbage
- Green cabbage
- Romaine lettuce
- Fresh cilantro
- Green onion
- Sliced almonds
- Oranges
For the Dressing:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Toasted sesame oil
- Tamari sauce (gluten-free soy sauce)
- Fresh peeled and grated ginger
- Toasted white and/or black sesame seeds
- Raw honey
- Rice vinegar
- Minced garlic
- Ground pepper
- Sea salt
HOW TO MAKE MY ASIAN-INSPIRED CHICKEN SALAD
Trim, tenderize, and season your chicken with salt and pepper. Cook chicken either on the grill at 500 F for about 4-5 minutes per side (flipping once) or in avocado oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, for about 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Once cooked, shred (using two forks) or slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
Heat a small skillet to medium heat. Slice almonds and toast for 2 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Remove from heat and set aside.
Chop your purple and green cabbage, red onion, romaine, green onions and cilantro. Slice carrots into matchsticks, and peel and slice the oranges into bite-sized pieces. Add all veggies + the orange pieces to a large mixing bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients. If you don’t have store-bought toasted sesame seeds, you can easily throw them in a heated skillet for about 1 minute, until they become fragrant.
Pour the dressing over the ingredients in the large mixing bowl and toss well, until evenly coated. Add the chicken and toasted, sliced almonds. For best results, chill, then serve with sliced avocado. Enjoy!
If prepping in advance, store the lettuce + cabbage, and dressing, separately from the rest of the ingredients, in airtight containers in the fridge (so nothing gets wilted/soggy), for up to 2-3 days.
RECIPE SUBSTITUTIONS & QUESTIONS
What’s great about any salad is you can easily customize it to your liking or just based off of what you already have in your fridge and pantry.
For this Asian-Inspired Chicken Salad, feel free to use a different protein if you’d like (e.g. chicken thighs, shredded rotisserie chicken, or even tofu based on any dietary preferences).
Crunchy romaine is my favorite for this one, but you could swap for iceberg, or just extra cabbage. I also like the mix of purple and green cabbage, for color, but you can use all one color, or make the base all lettuce, or all cabbage. Omit the cilantro and/or almonds if needed for taste or allergies, and feel free to add sliced or chopped bell pepper, cucumbers, and/or snap peas for added nutrients and crunch.
For the dressing, instead of tamari, option to use coconut aminos or soy sauce instead.
SHOP THIS RECIPE
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CABBAGE AND LETTUCE?
The main differences between cabbage and lettuce are in the texture and flavor. Cabbage is crunchier and denser than lettuce, and has a stronger flavor that tends to be a little bit more peppery. Lettuce, on the other hand, generally has a softer, leaf-like texture, and a milder, more refreshing kind of taste.
Cabbage is more often cooked and used in dishes like stir-fries, soups, kimchi and coleslaw, whereas lettuce is generally used as the base of salads, or as a garnish on burgers and sandwiches.
IS IT BETTER TO MAKE SALAD DRESSINGS AT HOME?
While there are definitely some better options out there for storebought salad dressings, it’ll generally always be the healthier option to make at home. Storebought, shelf-stable salad dressings tend to be made with a lot of inflammatory, seed oils, added gums, sugars and unnecessary ingredients. Whereas dressings you make at home will of course be fresher and can be made with avocado or extra virgin olive oils, fresh herbs/seasonings, and natural sweeteners like raw honey.
LOVE THIS ASIAN-INSPIRED CHICKEN SALAD? HERE’S MORE SALADS YOU’LL LOVE:
Crispy Hot Honey Chicken Caesar Salad
Protein-Packed Chicken and Edamame Salad
Sheet Pan Greek Chicken and Chickpea Salad
Click here to watch the reel I made of this recipe 🙂
Asian-Inspired Chicken Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 2 large organic chicken breasts
- 3 loose carrots, peeled and sliced thin
- 1/3 head purple cabbage, chopped thin
- 1/3 head green cabbage, chopped thin
- 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped thin
- 1 cup chopped, fresh cilantro
- 1 bunch chopped green onion, ends trimmed
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 3 oranges, skins removed, sliced
For the Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons tamari sauce, (gluten-free soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon fresh, peeled and grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon toasted white and/or black sesame seeds
- 1 1/2 tablespoons raw honey
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Trim, tenderize, and season your chicken with salt and pepper. Cook chicken either on the grill at 500 F for about 4-5 minutes per side (flipping once) or in avocado oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, for about 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Once cooked, shred (using two forks) or slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Heat a small skillet to medium heat. Slice almonds and toast for 2 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Chop your purple and green cabbage, red onion, romaine, green onions and cilantro. Slice carrots into matchsticks, and peel and slice the oranges into bite-sized pieces. Add all veggies + the orange pieces to a large mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients. If you don’t have store-bought toasted sesame seeds, you can easily throw them in a heated skillet for about 1 minute, until they become fragrant.
- Pour the dressing over the ingredients in the large mixing bowl and toss well, until evenly coated. Add the chicken and toasted, sliced almonds. For best results, chill, then serve with sliced avocado. Enjoy!
- If prepping in advance, store the lettuce + cabbage, and dressing, separately from the rest of the ingredients, in airtight containers in the fridge (so nothing gets wilted/soggy), for up to 2-3 days.
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