Asian Chicken Salad
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Total Time
25 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
457 kcal
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Course
Main Course
Asian Chicken Salad
Description
Asian Chicken Salad centers on thinly sliced marinated chicken breasts grilled to juicy perfection. The marinade blends soy sauce, fresh ginger, hoisin, sesame oil, sriracha, and salt, imparting an umami-rich and mildly spicy flavor that infuses the chicken. The reserved marinade is adjusted with red wine vinegar and green onions to create a zesty dressing for the salad.
The salad combines chopped romaine lettuce, shredded cabbage, slices of cucumber, shredded carrot, chopped bell pepper, mandarin orange segments, fresh cilantro, and sliced almonds or cashews. This mix delivers a balance of crunchy and tender textures along with sweet, savory, and tangy notes. Optional crunchy chow mein noodles or wonton strips can be added for extra crispness.
The chicken is butterflied thin to marinade quicker and grill evenly. After resting, it is sliced and combined with the vegetables, then tossed with the dressing to distribute the bright flavors. This salad serves as a light main course or a hearty side and can be made ahead by preparing the marinade, dressing, and chopping vegetables in advance.
The recipe offers flexibility by allowing tofu in place of chicken for a vegetarian version and suggests adding seasonal vegetables such as snap peas or edamame. Making the components a day ahead streamlines assembly and serving.
Ingredients
Marinade and Dressing:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce low-sodium
- 2 Tablespoons ginger fresh, chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sriracha hot sauce , or more, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 green onions , finely chopped
- 2 chicken breast boneless, skinless
For the Salad:
- 1 large romaine lettuce chopped, or green leafy lettuce
- 2 cups cabbage chopped, red, green or napa
- 1/2 English cucumber sliced
- 1 carrot , shredded
- 1/2 cup almonds sliced or cashews
- 1 bell pepper (any color), chopped
- 11 ounce can mandarin orange drained
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped, fresh
For topping:
- Handful Chow Mein noodles optional, crunchy or wonton strips
Instructions
Make marinade:
- Whisk together the soy sauce, chopped ginger, olive oil, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, and salt.
- Add 3 tablespoon of the marinade to a bowl or large ziplock bag (the rest will be reserved for the dressing). Cut the chicken breasts in half, lengthwise (butterfly), to create 6 thin chicken breast halves. Add to the marinade and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3-4 hours.
- To the remaining marinade, add red wine vinegar and sliced green onions, to make a dressing for the salad. Refrigerate.
For the salad:
- Add lettuce, cabbage, cucumber, carrots, almonds, bell peppers, mandarin oranges and cilantro to a large bowl.
- Grill the chicken on medium high heat, cooking for about 3 minutes on each side, flipping once, until cooked through.
- Remove to a cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice the chicken against the grain and add to the salad.
- Pour desired amount of dressing on top and toss to combine. Garnish with crunchy wonton strips or chow mein noodles, if desired.
Notes
- For a vegetarian option, omit chicken or replace with tofu.
- Add variety by including additional seasonal vegetables like snap peas, edamame, or shredded Brussels sprouts.
- You can prepare the dressing, marinate the chicken, and chop the vegetables up to one day in advance for convenience.
- Serve the salad with crunchy wonton strips or chow mein noodles if desired for added texture.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 457 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 457kcal | 23% |
| Carbohydrates | 24g | 8% |
| Protein | 30g | 60% |
| Fat | 27g | 42% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 72mg | 24% |
| Sodium | 1405mg | 59% |
| Potassium | 959mg | 20% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 13g | 26% |
| Vitamin A | 4545IU | 91% |
| Vitamin C | 85.1mg | 95% |
| Calcium | 105mg | 11% |
| Iron | 2.3mg | 13% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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