Asian Chicken Cranberry Salad (Print Version)
Tender chicken meets crunchy vegetables and sweet cranberries in a zesty Asian-inspired dressing. Perfect for light lunches or refreshing mains.
# What You Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed (about 12 ounces)
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 cups napa cabbage, thinly sliced
03 - 1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
04 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
05 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
→ Mix-ins
06 - 1/3 cup dried cranberries
07 - 1/3 cup roasted cashews or almonds, roughly chopped
08 - 1/2 cup mandarin orange segments, fresh or canned (drained)
→ Asian Dressing
09 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
10 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
11 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
12 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
13 - 2 teaspoons honey
14 - 1 clove garlic, finely minced
15 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
16 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - In a large salad bowl, combine the cooked chicken, napa cabbage, red cabbage, julienned carrot, sliced green onions, dried cranberries, chopped nuts, and mandarin orange segments. Toss ingredients together to distribute evenly.
02 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, mayonnaise, toasted sesame oil, honey, minced garlic, grated ginger, and black pepper. Continue whisking until mixture is completely smooth and emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture. Toss gently but thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional pepper if desired. Serve immediately for maximum crunch, or refrigerate for 10–15 minutes to allow flavors to meld together.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- Come home to dinner already made and waiting for you
- Cheap, impressive, and devoured by everyone who tries it
02 -
- The cabbage stays crisp for days so this actually tastes better after some time in the fridge
- Toasting the nuts in a dry pan for two minutes completely transforms this salad
03 -
- Use a mandoline or food processor for uniformly thin cabbage slices
- Let the dressed salad sit for at least 15 minutes before serving