Description
A delightful mix of tender chicken, sweet cranberries, and fresh vegetables, this Asian Chicken Cranberry Salad is a perfect balance of flavors and textures. It’s healthy, easy to prepare, and ideal for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 cups coleslaw mix (2 small bags)
- 4 cups rotisserie chicken, finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups toasted sliced almonds (or cashews)
- 1 ½ cups dried cranberries
- ¾ cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 cup sesame sticks (optional)
- 1 ½ cups chopped cilantro
- 1–2 small cans mandarin oranges, drained
- ¼ cup black sesame seeds (or regular sesame seeds)
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 4 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 3–4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4 Tbsp honey (or brown sugar)
- 4 Tbsp minced ginger
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
Prepare Salad:
- In a large bowl, layer the coleslaw mix, chicken, almonds, cranberries, red onion, sesame seeds, sesame sticks (if using), and cilantro.
- Add mandarin oranges if desired.
Make Dressing:
- Combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, honey, ginger, and sesame oil in a blender.
- Add 3 tablespoons of water and blend until smooth.
Combine:
- Lightly pour the dressing over the salad mixture to the desired moistness.
- Gently toss and serve.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the chicken with tofu or tempeh.
- Add more vegetables like bell peppers or cucumber for extra crunch.
- Adjust the sweetness of the dressing by adding more or less honey according to your taste.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Tossing
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 45mg