Description
This Asian Chicken Cranberry Salad is a delightful blend of flavors and textures. Crunchy cabbage and carrots, tender chicken, sweet cranberries, and toasty almonds or cashews are tossed in a tangy sesame dressing. A perfect balance of savory and sweet, this salad is a refreshing meal on its own or a flavorful side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Coleslaw Mix:
- 12 cups coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
Chicken:
- 4 cups cooked chicken breast (shredded or diced)
Cranberries:
- 1½ cups dried cranberries
Nuts:
- 1½ cups toasted sliced almonds or cashews
Red Onion:
- ¾ cup finely diced red onion
Sesame Sticks:
- 1 cup sesame sticks (optional)
Cilantro:
- 1½ cups chopped fresh cilantro
Mandarin Oranges:
- 1 cup canned mandarin oranges (drained, optional)
Dressing:
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar (or white balsamic)
- 4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (minced)
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 2–3 tablespoons water to thin
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a large salad bowl, mix coleslaw, chicken, cranberries, nuts, red onion, sesame sticks, cilantro, and mandarin oranges if using.
- Prepare Dressing: In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and water.
- Toss and Serve: Drizzle dressing over the salad, toss to coat, and serve immediately or chill briefly to meld flavors.
Notes
- For added crunch and depth, toast your nuts just before using.
- The salad can be made a few hours ahead, but keep the dressing separate until ready to serve.
- To make it vegetarian, omit the chicken and add edamame or crispy tofu.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Asian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ~1 cup
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 12 mg