A fresh salad full of flavor and crunchy vegetables: this Asian chicken salad is a winner for weekdays. The combination of cabbage, carrot, chicken and a flavorful dressing makes it a complete meal that is still light and healthy. And the best part: you can have it on the table in no time.
Table of Contents
Why this Recipe Works
The base of this Asian chicken salad is a mix of Chinese cabbage and red cabbage. Together with carrot and smoked chicken breast, you get a delicious combination of fresh, crunchy and savory flavors. This Asian cabbage salad is not only tasty, but also very nutritious!
Ingredients for Asian Salad with Chicken
- Chinese cabbage; optionally replace with pointed cabbage
- Red cabbage; replace with white cabbage, extra Chinese cabbage or pointed cabbage
- Carrot; replace with cucumber or bell pepper
- Smoked chicken breast; replace with fried chicken, tofu or tempeh
- Chives; replace with spring onion or coriander
- Light soy sauce; replace with ketjap manis (sweeter) or tamari (gluten-free)
- Sesame seeds; optionally replace with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
- Light brown caster sugar; replace with palm sugar or honey
- Ginger; replace with ground ginger
- Garlic; replace with garlic powder
- Peanuts; optionally replace with cashews or almonds
This salad is ideal for a quick meal on busy days, but it also works very well as a fresh (takeaway) lunch. Thanks to the combination of vegetables and chicken, it is a complete and nutritious salad that you can prepare in no time! A win-win situation.
Easy Asian salad
What makes this salad so convenient is that you can prepare almost everything in advance. The dressing can be made ahead of time, and the vegetables stay nice and crunchy if you only mix them with the sauce just before serving.
If you could use even more inspiration for light and fresh dishes, be sure to take a look at all the salad recipes. Would you like more Asian inspiration? Then also take a look at these favorite Asian recipes of mine: Asian cucumber salad, papaya salad and this red curry noodle soup.
How to Make an Asian Chicken Salad
The dressing really completes this salad. Mix the soy sauce, neutral oil, sesame oil, fish sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, black pepper and sesame seeds in a bowl and stir well. Let the dressing sit for a while so the flavors can infuse.
Meanwhile, cut the Chinese cabbage and red cabbage into thin strips. Using a mandoline makes this extra quick and gives you nice, even strips. Cut the carrot into thin julienne strips and the smoked chicken breast into slices.
Place all the sliced ingredients together in a large bowl and toss with the dressing. Finally, sprinkle the coarsely chopped peanuts over the top for some extra crunch. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead?
Yes, you can prepare the dressing and vegetables in advance. Only mix everything just before eating so that the salad stays nice and crunchy.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Certainly! You can replace the chicken with fried tofu or tempeh or a vegetarian chicken alternative. Optionally, you can also leave it out.
How do I pack the salad for take-away?
Put the dressing in a small jar and the salad in a larger container and mix them together just before eating. This way, everything stays crunchy.
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Ingredients
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp light brown caster sugar
- 2 tsp fresh ginger (grated)
- 1 clove garlic (pressed)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 300 gram Chinese cabbage
- 150 gram red cabbage
- 50 gram carrot (julienne)
- 2 smoked chicken fillets
- 1 tbsp chives (dried or fresh)
- Extra: a handful of unsalted peanuts (roughly chopped)
INSTRUCTIONS (how to make this recipe):
- Mix all the ingredients for the Asian salad dressing in a small bowl and set aside so that the flavors can infuse well.
- Wash and cut the Chinese cabbage and red cabbage into thin strips. You can optionally use a mandoline to get very nice thin strips.
- Cut the smoked chicken fillets into thin slices. Are you using fresh chives? Then finely chop them.
- Place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss well. Add the dressing to taste and finish with the chopped peanuts. Enjoy your meal!
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