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This Crunchy Asian Chicken Salad is the perfect combination of great color, texture and flavor! An amazing main dish salad.
I had two different events last week that I had to take a salad too. I had planned to do two different salads but after I made today’s recipe for the first event and enjoyed it so much I decided I needed to make it for the second event too. It was just too yummy. It was a big hit at both events and I knew I had to share it with you.
The perfect salad not only tastes good but it looks good and it has great texture. This Asian chicken salad gets it’s crunch from peanuts and carrots. The great color comes from the spinach and carrots and the flavor is from the marinated chicken and the dressing which is flavorful and fresh thanks to the lime juice, red pepper and cayenne pepper. The dressing is not hot at all, just enough heat to give it some good flavor.
How To Make Asian Chicken Salad
- The salad uses a combination of baby spinach and cabbage. The recipe uses napa cabbage which I like better than the traditional cabbage. It’s softer and prettier in a salad.
- The chicken is marinated for about 30 minutes and then quickly cooked up on the stovetop. Cutting it into bite size pieces before cooking helps it to cook quicker and allows the marinade to cover more of the chicken for better flavor.
Chinese Chicken Salad Dressing
- The dressing is a combination of all so many great flavors: lime, cilantro, red pepper flakes, chili powder, and cayenne. It is not a spicy dressing, but feel free to leave out the red pepper flakes if they scare you! I found that it gives the dressing great flavor.
- Always dress the salad right before serving.
- I like to reserve a bit of a few of the ingredients like the carrots, cilantro and peanuts to sprinkle some on top right before serving.
- I always like to add the chopped peanuts on the top right before serving since they tend to fall to the bottom of the bowl! Sprinkling a little extra shredded carrot and cilantro on top gives it some nice color and makes it look prettier.
You are going to find yourself making this salad over and over again just like I did!
Some of my other favorite salads:
Find more great dinner ideas over on my Instagram account.
Crunchy Asian Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken breasts skinless and boneless
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 Tbsp cilantro chopped fine
- 1 tsp salt and pepper
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 C olive oil
- 1/4 C fresh lime juice
- 1 Tbsp grated lime peel
- 3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt and pepper
- 3 cups Napa Cabbage
- 3 cups Baby Spinach
- 1 C shredded carrots
- 1 bunch cilantro chopped
- 1 C chopped peanuts
Instructions
- Cut chicken breasts into thin strips
- In a bowl combine 3 Tbsp olive oil, 2 Tbsp lime juice, 1 Tbsp cilantro,cayenne, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper
- Add chicken and marinate for 30 minutes
- Heat pan and saute chicken until cooked through
- Set aside to cool
- In a bowl mix together the 1/2 C olive oil, 1/4 C lime juice, lime peel, vinegar, chili powder, sugar, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper
- In a large bowl, add together cabbage, spinach, carrots, cilantro, chicken and peanuts
- Add in dressing mixture and toss
Nutrition Facts:
Kim says
I made this for dinner tonight and it was really yummy. Thanks for the recipe.
Cat says
I was going to give this a try but then I saw the dreaded ingredient, “cilantro”. I am not sure why this tastes like soap to me when so many others love it. Have you substituted anything else for this with success? How about peanuts – we have a peanut allergy – can you suggest a nut? Could you even leave it out? I think the crunch is so nice with nuts/peanuts.
Leigh Anne says
I am sure it will still be great without the cilantro or you could use fresh Italian parsley instead. For a nut substitution try using almonds or cashews.
FoodontheTable says
I can see how this would be a hit. It looks delicious!
kristenm says
Oh that looks good. I am putting the ingredients on my next shopping list. I have been focusing on increasing my vegie/fruit intake this month. This is perfect!
Diana Specht Saavedra says
Sounds yummy, Leigh Anne. Just gotta plod through the snow to go get the Napa cabbage…maybe tomorrow! 😉
Leigh Anne says
Hope you thaw out soon! It’s 60 degrees here in Portland and I wouldn’t mind a snow day or two!