Description
This Asian Chicken Crunch Salad is a vibrant and flavorful dish featuring tender marinated chicken, a crisp mix of shredded cabbages, carrots, and bell peppers, all tossed in a creamy peanut dressing. It offers a delightful combination of textures and a perfect balance of savory, sweet, and spicy flavors for a refreshing and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 pound chicken breast
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar (adjust to preference)
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Salad
- 3 cups shredded purple cabbage
- 3 cups shredded green cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
- ½ cup shelled edamame
- ½ cup diced green onion
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons sriracha
- 2 tablespoons warm water or more as needed to thin
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Cut the chicken breast into small 1-inch cubes to ensure even cooking and quick absorption of marinade flavors.
- Make the chicken marinade: In a shallow bowl, whisk together soy sauce or tamari, minced garlic, brown sugar, tahini, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, fresh grated ginger, sriracha, and sesame seeds. Add the cubed chicken into the marinade and let it sit while prepping the rest of the ingredients to allow flavors to penetrate.
- Prepare the dressing: Whisk together the peanut butter, rice vinegar, honey, toasted sesame oil, low sodium soy sauce or tamari, grated ginger, minced garlic, sriracha, and warm water until smooth. Set aside.
- Prep the vegetables: Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, shred the purple and green cabbage finely. Shred the carrot, slice the red bell pepper into strips, dice the green onion, and chop the cilantro. Combine all the vegetables along with the shelled edamame in a large salad bowl.
- Cook the chicken: Heat a skillet over medium heat with a splash of oil. Add the marinated chicken cubes to the skillet, leaving the remaining marinade aside. Brown the chicken on all sides for approximately 3 minutes to develop color and flavor.
- Simmer with marinade: Pour the remaining marinade over the chicken and continue cooking until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and the sauce thickens slightly, about 5-7 more minutes.
- Toss the salad and assemble: Allow the chicken to cool slightly. Toss the shredded vegetables with desired amount of peanut dressing. Add the cooked chicken on top and gently toss to combine all flavors.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle extra chopped cilantro, sesame seeds, and chopped peanuts over the salad for added crunch and flavor. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Feel free to swap in or out any other vegetables you prefer, such as snap peas, cucumber, or radishes.
- The peanut butter in the dressing can be substituted with almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or tahini if desired.
- This salad is best served fresh but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; dress just before serving to maintain crispness.
- Adjust the amount of sriracha in the marinade and dressing based on your preferred spice level.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
