Description
This Sesame Chicken Cabbage Crunch Salad is a fresh, flavor-packed meal loaded with crisp cabbage, colorful veggies, juicy sesame chicken, and a bold sesame ginger dressing. Perfect for a healthy lunch or easy weeknight dinner, this crunchy salad is satisfying, customizable, and meal-prep friendly.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 1 lb grilled sesame chicken (breast or thighs)
For the Salad:
- 4 cups shredded green cabbage
- 2 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1/2 cup diced green onion
- 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
For the Dressing:
- 1 batch sesame ginger dressing (homemade or store-bought)
For Serving:
- 1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds
- 1/3 cup roasted cashews
- Sesame seeds
- Extra cilantro
- Extra green onion
- Jalapeño slices
- Optional: crispy wonton strips
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken in a sesame-based marinade and cook by grilling or baking until fully cooked and juicy.
- Prepare the sesame ginger dressing and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine green cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, jalapeño, green onion, and cilantro.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until evenly coated.
- Slice the cooked chicken into strips.
- Transfer salad to a serving bowl or platter and top with chicken.
- Garnish with almonds, cashews, sesame seeds, extra herbs, and optional wonton strips.
- Serve immediately or chill slightly before serving for enhanced flavor.
Notes
Use pre-shredded coleslaw mix to save prep time.
Rotisserie chicken works great as a shortcut.
Adjust spice by reducing or increasing jalapeño.
For a vegetarian option, swap chicken with tofu or chickpeas.
This salad holds well for meal prep (store dressing separately for best crunch).
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad, Main Course
- Method: Grilling, Tossing
- Cuisine: American, Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 594 kcal
- Sugar: 19.2 g
- Sodium: 620 mg (estimated)
- Fat: 36.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 29 g (estimated)
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34.9 g
- Fiber: 7.1 g
- Protein: 35.9 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg (estimated)