Completely different flavors than what you're used to in a salad.
If you’re like me, you have your go-to salad that you make almost every time. You pick up the same salad ingredients at the grocery store without even thinking about it. But, that can get boring so why not mix it up this time and try something new? Change up your salad game with this wildly flavorful Sesame Ginger Chicken Salad! Your tastebuds will thank you!
I love this Sesame Ginger Chicken Salad because it has completely different flavors than what I’m used to in a salad. First, it has no lettuce, so it’s all veggies and no filler, which already makes it healthier and more nutrient-rich. And second, the homemade dressing ensures you’re skipping all those mystery ingredients typically included in store-bought dressing.
What’s So Healthy About it?
It starts with the ingredients: boneless, skinless chicken breasts, Napa cabbage, carrots, Persian cucumbers, green onions, toasted sesame seeds, sliced onions, and cilantro. Your body is going to love all those vitamins from the veggies and the protein from the lean meat.
The dressing is made from scratch using sesame oil, low sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, freshly grated ginger, and just a hint of maple syrup to balance out the acidity. I like to add some freshly chopped chiles or Sriracha for some extra heat. I always like to make my own salad dressings to avoid preservatives, artificial flavoring, and added refined sugars. Store-bought dressings tend to be loaded with calories, sodium, sugar, and saturated fats, not to mention those preservatives and stabilizers.
Make Your Chicken More Flavorful
While this recipe isn’t bland by any means, there are always ways to enhance the flavors of a recipe. For this sesame ginger salad recipe, I would recommend marinating the chicken if you have time. Do this by putting your boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a zipper-lock baggy and adding low sodium soy sauce, minced ginger, avocado oil, toasted sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, chopped green onions, and a little bit of sriracha (you won’t taste the spice much). It’s pretty much what you’ll use for the dressing, so the marinade is an extra flavor hit! Then seal your bag and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. I like to let it marinate for at least a couple of hours, though. You can either cook the chicken in the pan and finish it in the oven, or throw it on the grill on medium heat for a smokier flavor.
What Else to Serve with Sesame Ginger Chicken
Since this recipe already has plenty of veggies and protein, I like to serve it with just a little bread for some carbs. But you don’t really need to serve it with anything. It’s plenty filling. However, I do like to serve some dessert after if I’m having guests over. I don’t want anyone to go home hungry! That doesn’t mean you have to serve something unhealthy. You can stick with the Asian flavor profile and go with coconut mango chia pudding cups or even a coconut milk tapioca pudding for a modern, delicious, vegan version of a classic.
No matter how you serve it, we know you’ll want to make this salad again and again. Let us know how you like it! We always appreciate the feedback.
Sesame Ginger Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 pound napa cabbage thinly sliced
- 2 carrots thinly sliced
- 2 Persian cucumbers thinly sliced
- 4 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/3 cup cilantro chopped
Sesame Ginger Dressing
- 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce reduced sodium
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 inch piece of ginger grated
- 1/2 teaspoon sriracha optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Heat the avocado oil in oven safe pan over medium/high heat. Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Brown the chicken on both sides for 3 to 4 minutes. Then transfer to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. The chicken will reach an internal temperature of 165F when it is done. Let the chicken cool, then slice it into thin strips.
- Layer the ingredients for the salad in large bowl.
- Mix the ingredients for the dressing. Then pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
Nutrition Information
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