Healthy Chinese Chicken Salad
A crunchy Chinese chicken salad made with savoy cabbage, sugar snap peas, and toasted cashews, tossed in a sugar-free soy sesame dressing. No fried wontons or rice noodles. Tested with three types of cabbage and three nuts to get the texture right without the fried elements.
Servings: 4
Calories: 413.56kcal
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Small dry skillet
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups cooked chicken shredded
- 6 ½ cups savoy cabbage shredded
- 1 ½ cups carrots shredded
- 1 ¼ cups sugar snap peas
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1 can mandarin oranges 11oz can; optional
- ½ cup cashews
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 stalk scallion chopped
Soy Sesame Dressing
- 3 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 5 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
- ½ Teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon agave optional if you prefer sweetness
Instructions
- Toast the cashews. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and add the cashews. Toast for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan often, until they smell nutty and turn light golden brown. Move them to a plate right away so they stop cooking. Let cool.
- Prep the vegetables. Shred the savoy cabbage about ⅛ inch thick and shred the carrots. A mandoline makes this fast. Remove the strings from the sugar snap peas and slice them on a diagonal into thirds.
- Make the dressing. In a jar or small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic powder, and agave if using. Shake or whisk hard for 20 seconds until it emulsifies and looks slightly cloudy. It will separate as it sits, so shake again before pouring.
- Combine the salad. In a large bowl, toss the cabbage, carrots, snap peas, bean sprouts, and shredded chicken. Add the drained mandarin oranges last and fold gently so the segments stay intact.
- Dress and finish. Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving and toss thoroughly, lifting from the bottom so everything gets coated. Top with the toasted cashews, cilantro, and scallion. Serve right away for maximum crunch.
Notes
Make ahead: Store shredded vegetables, chicken, and dressing separately for up to 5 days. Dress individual portions as you eat them. Once dressed, the salad stays crunchy for about 2 days.
Cabbage swap: Napa cabbage works and is slightly more tender, but softens faster in the fridge. A bagged coleslaw mix (about 8 cups) is the fastest option, though the dressing clings less well to thicker-cut green cabbage.
Why garlic powder: Fresh garlic keeps sharpening in a raw dressing over several days and turns harsh in leftovers. Use fresh only if serving the same day.
Low carb: Omit the mandarin oranges and agave. Reduce cashews to ¼ cup to go lower still.
Gluten-free: Use tamari or coconut aminos. Coconut aminos are sweeter, so skip the agave.
Meal prep note: Add bean sprouts and cashews fresh to each portion. Sprouts go slimy, and cashews go soft.
Soy sauce: If using regular rather than low-sodium, use 2 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon water.
Nutrition
Calories: 413.56kcal | Carbohydrates: 21.82g | Protein: 21.2g | Fat: 28.41g | Saturated Fat: 4.68g | Cholesterol: 39.38mg | Sodium: 510.78mg | Potassium: 763.47mg | Fiber: 6.84g | Sugar: 8.41g | Vitamin A: 9608.19IU | Vitamin C: 60.74mg | Calcium: 84.47mg | Iron: 3.53mg