Asian Chicken Cranberry Salad (Print Version)

Tender chicken, sweet cranberries, and crisp vegetables in a flavorful Asian-inspired dressing

# Recipe Ingredients:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 cups napa cabbage, thinly sliced
03 - 1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
04 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
05 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ Add-ins

06 - 1/3 cup dried cranberries
07 - 1/3 cup roasted cashews or almonds, roughly chopped
08 - 1/2 cup mandarin orange segments, fresh or canned

→ Dressing

09 - 3 tbsp soy sauce, low sodium preferred
10 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar
11 - 2 tbsp mayonnaise
12 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
13 - 2 tsp honey
14 - 1 clove garlic, finely minced
15 - 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
16 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - In a large salad bowl, combine the cooked chicken, napa cabbage, red cabbage, carrot, green onions, dried cranberries, nuts, and mandarin orange segments.
02 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, mayonnaise, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, and black pepper until smooth and emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to mix, ensuring all ingredients are evenly coated.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately for maximum crunch, or refrigerate for 10-15 minutes to allow flavors to meld together.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dressing hits this incredible sweet and salty spot that makes people ask what's in it
  • You can prep everything ahead and toss it right before serving
02 -
  • The dressing can taste overly salty before it coats the salad, so trust the process and adjust after tossing
  • Waiting more than an hour to serve makes the cabbages wilt and lose their signature crunch
03 -
  • A julienne peeler is worth the cabinet space. It makes perfect carrot strips in seconds and the texture is so much better than chopping.
  • Let the dressing sit for 5 minutes before tossing. The garlic and ginger need that time to mellow out and meld with the other flavors.

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