Asian Chicken Crunch Salad

Asian Chicken Crunch Salad is a nutritious and filling dish full of yummy citrus flavor and crunchy mix-ins. It’s loaded with ingredients like carrots, green onion, mandarin oranges, and peanuts!

A delicious and refreshing Asian chicken crunch salad

Summer is right around the corner, and it’s the perfect time to start enjoying this Asian chicken crunch salad. With fresh ingredients, it’s just as refreshing as it is delicious!

The base is made with romaine and two types of cabbage, and ingredient mix ins like carrots, red pepper, mandarin oranges, cilantro, and green onion add worlds of flavor to the dish. From there, we’re whipping up a sweet and tangy dressing using soy sauce, honey, and sriracha!

Ingredients in this Asian chicken crunch salad recipe

Ready to load up on some nutritious citrus Asian crunch salad? Below is everything you’ll need to make it happen. This recipe has two parts: the salad base and the dressing. Both sections use flavorful ingredients that are sure to make the dish taste great!

Salad

• Romaine: Kick off this salad with 1 head of chopped romaine. Romaine creates the best crunch, but any type of lettuce is fine.
• Cabbage: Next up is the cabbage! Cabbage makes a great addition to any salad. Use 4 cups of napa cabbage and 2 cups of red. All of the cabbage should be chopped thin before adding to the salad.
• Carrots: Include shredded carrots in the amount of 2 cups.
• Red pepper: 1 julienned red pepper will add some delicious flavor to the salad.
• Chicken breast: Now, for the protein! Use 4 cups of cooked and shredded chicken. About 3 small chicken breasts should amount to 4 cups.
• Cilantro: Add some fresh herby flavor with 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro.
• Green onion: Onion adds so much great taste to the dish and makes a huge difference! Use 1/5 cup, chopped.
• Mandarin oranges: Add the citrus flavor that we’re looking for by including 2 10 oz cans of mandarin oranges (drained).
• Peanuts: Next up is the crunch! To get the deliciously crunchy texture as well as some added flavor, use 1 cup of salted peanuts.
• Chow mein noodles: 1 cup of chow mein noodles will tie everything together.
• Sesame seeds: Sesame seeds are a must! Use 1/4 cup.
• Salt & pepper: Last up for the salad base is salt and black pepper. Add as much as you’d like.

Dressing

• Avocado oil: The base of the dressing will consist of 1/2 cup of avocado oil (or any other neutral oil).
• Sesame oil: Next, add some flavor with 1/4 cup of sesame oil.
• Rice wine vinegar: Red wine vinegar adds a nice taste to the dressing. Use 1/4 cup.
• Soy sauce: Soy sauce is going to give the dressing that classic taste. Use 1/4 cup here as well.
• Honey: Next, add some sweetness with a bit with 1/4 cup honey. Any brand is fine.
• Sriracha: Add a slight bite with 1 tsp of sriracha.
• Ginger: Then, throw in 2 tsp of minced ginger.
• Garlic: Last but not least, round out the dressing with 2 cloves of minced garlic.

Tools used to make this salad

You’ll need only 6 main kitchen tools to create this salad. Before you begin, grab a cutting board, chopping knife, large mixing bowl, tongs, glass measuring cup, and a whisk.

For measuring out ingredients, you’ll need 1 tsp, 1/4 cup, and 1/2 cup sized measuring cups.

How to make this citrus Asian crunch salad

Putting this Asian chicken salad together is quick and easy. Just follow these simple steps to prep your ingredients, whisk up the dressing, and bring everything together in around 15 minutes of prep time.

To begin, start by prepping the salad by adding the lettuce and cabbage to a large bowl. Then, add the carrots, pepper, chicken, cilantro, and green onion. Toss to mix together.

Next, add the mandarin oranges, salted peanuts, chow mein noodles, and sesame seeds.

In a glass measuring cup, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until well combined. Pour the dressing over the top of the salad. Use tongs to gently toss until the salad is mixed and well coated.

Looking for some ingredient swaps? Maybe one of these will be helpful!

Chicken
If you’d like to omit the chicken, feel free to substitute it with another protein source such as grilled shrimp or tofu.

Peanuts
Peanuts can be omitted from the salad or replaced with chopped cashews, almonds, walnuts, or sunflower seeds.

Chow mein noodles
Don’t have these on hand? You can use crispy wonton strips instead, or omit altogether.

Mandarin oranges
The oranges can be replaced with mango or pineapple. All three options will taste refreshing!

What are the ingredients in Asian chicken crunch salad?

This recipe uses a variety of ingredients. The salad base uses romaine, cabbage, carrots, red pepper, chicken breasts, cilantro, green onion, Mandarin oranges, peanuts, chow mein noodles, sesame seeds, salt, and pepper. The dressing uses avocado oil, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sriracha, minced ginger, and minced garlic.

What goes with this salad?

You could pair a number of dishes with this chicken crunch salad! It works well as a side for main dishes like this teriyaki salmon, these teriyaki beef bowls, or pistachio crusted salmon.

You can also pair it with a soup! Go for this wonton soup or this Thai chicken curry soup.

How long can you store this salad?

This salad will store for 2-3 days. Be sure to refrigerate. If possible, store the salad base separate from the dressing to prevent the salad from getting soggy.

If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!

Looking for some more nutritious and satisfying meals? Try one of these similar dishes! All four options are loaded with protein and are sure to leave you feeling full and satisfied.

• Grilled Asian Inspired Salmon with Coconut Rice
• Cold Thai Noodle Salad with Shrimp
• Easy Egg Roll in a Bowl Recipe
• Healthy Beef and Broccoli Recipe

Recipe by Erin Antoniak and Photos by Bake and Bacon