Description
A vibrant and crunchy Asian-inspired sesame chicken salad featuring tender shredded chicken, crisp napa and purple cabbage, fresh vegetables, and a zesty homemade sesame dressing. This salad combines a delightful mix of textures and flavors, perfect for a quick, healthy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
- 4 cups shredded Napa cabbage
- 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 1 cup crispy wonton strips
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Dressing
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Instructions
- Combine Vegetables: In a large bowl, mix together the Napa cabbage, purple cabbage, shredded carrots, thinly sliced red bell pepper, sliced green onions, and chopped cilantro until evenly distributed.
- Add Chicken and Crunchy Elements: Add the cooked, shredded or diced chicken breast to the vegetable mixture along with the toasted sliced almonds, sesame seeds, and crispy wonton strips, stirring to combine.
- Prepare Dressing: In a small bowl or jar, vigorously whisk or shake together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, vegetable oil, honey, brown sugar, grated fresh ginger, and minced garlic until the dressing is smooth and the sugar is dissolved.
- Toss Salad: Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated with the flavorful sesame dressing.
- Serve Fresh: Serve the salad immediately to maintain the crispness and freshness of the ingredients for the best texture and taste experience.
Notes
- For extra protein, add some chopped peanuts or cashews along with the almonds.
- Use leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken to save time.
- To make this salad vegetarian, omit the chicken and add extra almonds or tofu cubes.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos and use gluten-free wonton strips or omit them.
- To toast almonds, heat them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant and golden.
- Prepare the dressing in advance and refrigerate for up to 3 days for faster assembly.
