Asian Chicken Salad is a meal fit for dinner with chicken and a healthy and gorgeous assortment of vegetables all topped with a creamy peanut dressing.
I think the first time I fell in love with Asian Chicken Salad was when we lived in Hawaii.
There was a new California Pizza Kitchen within walking distance from our apartment. Although they had fun pizzas, their salads were always my favorite.
And their Chicken Chopped Salad was really perfect.
Unfortunately they don’t offer that item on the menu anymore.
And it’s too bad, because it was really great with chicken, lettuce, carrots, onions and cilantro and a light Asian dressing.
But I was really in the mood for that salad the other day and thought I’d recreate it.
This time though, I thought I’d make it bit heartier. I had both red and green cabbage so I substituted both of them for the lettuce.
The carrots were great in the original, but they were finely shredded, and this time I wanted to give them a bit more texture so I wanted to cut them match stick style for more texture.
I liked their scallion in their salad so I added that, plus some chopped red pepper.
And of course the cilantro, which I think really makes it, along with some shredded fresh basil.
Because it was texturally more than California Pizza Kitchen’s Salad, I thought the light Asian dressing would be almost lost in it.
So I got out my Food Processor and added peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger, miso, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, lime juice and for an extra kick, red pepper flakes.
It was creamy and tangy, but needed a touch of sweetness. Two choices…honey or catsup? (Humm..Is it catsup or ketchup? I think it’s both).
Anyway, I opted for the catsup. And the creamy Asian peanut dressing was perfect.
No, it wasn’t exactly the Chicken Asian Salad that I had remembered.
But then again maybe the memory of that salad was really the memory of Hawaii.
Beautiful place, happy people, good friends, palm trees swaying in the breezes, sudden showers with double rainbows and gorgeous beaches with the deep blue Pacific ocean beyond.
I mean with all that, how could any dish possibly taste anything but wonderful there?
Ingredients of Asian Chicken Salad
- Green Cabbage
- Red Cabbage
- Red Pepper
- Carrots
- Onion
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Peanut Butter
- Soy Sauce
- Sesame Oil
- Lime
- Rice Vinegar
- Catsup
- Garlic
- White Miso
- Ginger
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Almonds
- Shredded Cooked Chicken
How to Make Asian Chicken Salad
Mix green and red shredded cabbage, diced red pepper, match stick carrots, green onion, basil, cilantro, chopped basil and shredded chicken in a salad bowl.
In a food processor add peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, rice vinegar, catsup, garlic, white miso, ginger and red pepper flakes.
Pulse several times, then process until smooth.
This is thick dressing. If you’d prefer to thin it a bit, just add a little water.
Spoon dressing over the salad and lightly mix.
Just before serving sprinkle almonds over the top.
Also try Delicious Shrimp Salad with Ginger Dressing.
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Asian Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Cabbage Green cabbage shredded
- 1/2 Cup Cabbage Red cabbage shredded
- 1/2 Cup Red bell pepper Sliced thin
- 2 Large Carrots Cut match stick style
- 1 Green onion Sliced thin
- 2 Tbsp Cilantro Chopped
- 2 Tbsp Basil leaves Chopped
- 1/4 Cup Peanut butter Smooth or crunchy
- 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 Tsp Sesame oil
- 1/2 Lime Juiced
- 1 Tbsp Rice vinegar
- 1 Tsp Catsup
- 1 clove Garlic Minced
- 2 Tsp White miso
- 2 Tsp Ginger
- 1/4 Tsp Red pepper flakes Or more to taste
- 3 Tbsp Almonds Crushed
- 1 Cup Shredded Chicken Cooked
Instructions
- Mix green cabbage, red cabbage, red pepper, carrots, green onion, cilantro, basil and shredded chicken in serving bowl.
- Peanut Dressing: Add peanut butter to food processor. Then add soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, rice vinegar, catsup, garlic, white miso, ginger and red pepper flakes. Pulse several times, them process until smooth. This is a thick creamy dressing. (Thin with water if desired.)
- Spoon Peanut Dressing over salad and lightly mix. Sprinkle crushed almonds on top just before serving.
