Asian Chicken Crunch Salad Recipe

Introduction

This Asian Chicken Crunch Salad is a vibrant and flavorful dish packed with crispy veggies, tender marinated chicken, and a tangy peanut dressing. It’s perfect for a light lunch or a refreshing dinner that’s both satisfying and nutritious.

Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken breast
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar (depending on 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
• 3 cups shredded purple cabbage
• 3 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 1 red bell pepper (sliced into strips)
• 1/2 cup shelled edamame
• 1/2 cup diced green onion
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
• 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

1. Step 1: Cut the chicken into small cubes about 1 inch in size.
2. Step 2: Whisk together the chicken marinade ingredients—soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, tahini, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, grated ginger, sriracha, and sesame seeds—in a shallow bowl. Add the chicken cubes to the marinade and let them sit while you prepare the rest.
3. Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing: peanut butter, rice vinegar, honey, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, grated ginger, minced garlic, sriracha, and warm water. Set the dressing aside.
4. Step 4: Shred the purple and green cabbages and carrots. Use a mandoline or a sharp knife for even, thin shreds.
5. Step 5: In a large bowl, combine the shredded cabbages, carrots, red bell pepper strips, shelled edamame, diced green onion, chopped cilantro, and chopped peanuts.
6. Step 6: Heat a skillet with a splash of oil over medium heat. Add the marinated chicken cubes, reserving the remaining marinade for later.
7. Step 7: Cook the chicken, turning to brown all sides, about 3 minutes. Then pour in the reserved marinade and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the sauce thickens.
8. Step 8: Let the cooked chicken cool slightly. Meanwhile, toss the salad with as much or as little dressing as you prefer.
9. Step 9: Add the chicken to the salad, toss everything gently to combine, and garnish with extra cilantro and sesame seeds before serving.

Tips & Variations

• For a vegetarian version, substitute the chicken with tofu or tempeh and use vegetable broth in the marinade.
• If you prefer less heat, reduce or omit the sriracha from the marinade and dressing.
• Adding crunchy wonton strips or toasted cashews enhances the texture and adds extra crunch.
• Use lime juice instead of rice vinegar for a citrusy twist in the dressing.

Storage

Store the salad and chicken separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the dressing refrigerated as well. When ready to serve, toss everything together and enjoy cold or at room temperature. Reheat the chicken separately if desired, but avoid reheating the salad to maintain its crispness.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make this salad ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the chicken and dressing in advance and store them separately. Combine with the veggies just before serving to keep everything fresh and crunchy.

What can I substitute if I don’t have tahini?

You can replace tahini with more peanut butter or a mild sesame oil for similar nutty flavors in the marinade.

Asian Chicken Crunch Salad Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.4 from 122 reviews

This Asian Chicken Crunch Salad is a vibrant and flavorful dish combining tender marinated chicken with a variety of fresh, crunchy vegetables and a tangy peanut sesame dressing. Perfect for a light lunch or dinner, this salad offers a delightful balance of sweet, spicy, and savory flavors with an irresistible crunchy texture from peanuts and cabbage.

• Author: lucas
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Salad
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Chicken Marinade

• 1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/4 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

Vegetables

• 3 cups shredded purple cabbage
• 3 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
• 1/2 cup shelled edamame
• 1/2 cup diced green onion
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

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)

Garnish

• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
• Additional chopped cilantro
• Additional sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Cut Chicken: Cut the chicken breast into small cubes, approximately 1 inch in size, ensuring even cooking.
2. Whisk Marinade: In a shallow bowl, whisk together soy sauce, minced garlic, brown sugar, tahini, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, fresh grated ginger, sriracha, and sesame seeds to create the marinade. Add the chicken cubes and let them marinate while preparing the salad ingredients.
3. Whisk Dressing: In a separate bowl, combine natural creamy peanut butter, rice vinegar, honey, toasted sesame oil, low sodium soy sauce, fresh grated ginger, minced garlic, sriracha, and warm water. Whisk until smooth and set aside.
4. Shred Veggies: Shred the purple and green cabbage using a mandoline or knife. Prepare the carrot by shredding it, slice the red bell pepper into strips, and gather shelled edamame, diced green onion, and chopped cilantro.
5. Add Veggies to Bowl: Place all the prepared vegetables—purple cabbage, green cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, edamame, green onion, and cilantro—into a large mixing bowl.
6. Cook Chicken: Heat a skillet over medium heat with a splash of oil. Add the marinated chicken cubes, reserving the leftover marinade. Cook for about 3 minutes on all sides until browned.
7. Add Marinade Sauce: Pour the remaining marinade into the skillet with the chicken. Stir and continue cooking until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F and the sauce thickens to coat the chicken nicely.
8. Let Chicken Cool Slightly: Remove the cooked chicken from heat and let it cool just enough so it can be safely added to the salad without wilting the veggies.
9. Toss Salad with Dressing and Chicken: Drizzle desired amount of peanut dressing over the vegetable mix and toss well. Add the cooked chicken pieces and toss gently again to combine all flavors.
10. Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle chopped peanuts, extra cilantro, and sesame seeds over the top for added flavor and crunch. Serve immediately and enjoy your fresh Asian Chicken Crunch Salad!

Notes

• Adjust spiciness by varying the amount of sriracha in both marinade and dressing.
• Use tamari for a gluten-free version of this salad.
• If you don’t have tahini, you can substitute with additional peanut butter or sesame oil.
• For best texture, shred cabbage and other veggies just before assembling the salad.
• This salad can be served warm or at room temperature depending on preference.
• Leftover dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

Keywords: Asian Chicken Salad, Crunchy Chicken Salad, Peanut Dressing Salad, Healthy Chicken Salad, Cabbage Salad, Gluten-Free Asian Salad