How to make my favorite Asian Sesame Chicken Salad

bowl of red cabbage, carrots and chicken slaw

Asian Sesame Chicken Salad is tender poached chicken, crunchy red cabbage, and sweet carrots tossed in an Asian sesame vinaigrette. 

This hearty Asian Sesame Chicken Salad seals the deal on things I’m looking for now.

✅easy to make

✅few pots and pans for easy cleanup

✅uses sturdy, long lasting vegetables

✅delivers on delish and nutrish

✅is good as tomorrow’s bestover

The ingredients

These foods take salad from drab to fab.

  • Chicken I use a boneless breast, but thighs would also work.
  • Red cabbage is budget friendly and keeps well. But it’s also a vegetable that rises to the top with beneficial plant compounds.
  • Carrots. Same. Plus they add a bit of sweet
  • Red Onion. Same. Except for the sweet part, more of a pungent, spicy bite.
  • Fresh herbs. Same. Except for the fresh, lively, lovely interest they add.
  • Toasted sesame oil adds a hint of nutty flavor. Not to be confused with plain sesame oil, toasted sesame oil is used in marinades and vinaigrettes.

How to make Asian Sesame Chicken Salad

  1. Poach chicken in simmering water
  2. Shred cabbage and carrots, thinly slice onion, chop herbs
  3. Mix vinaigrette
  4. Toss and serve
shredded carrots, red cabbage, sliced onion and chopped herbs in a bowl

shred cabbage carrots, slice onion, chop herbs

bowl of asian chicken salad with red cabbage and carrots

Sprinkle with roasted peanuts, almonds, or sesame seeds

How to poach chicken

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are lean protein. That’s good. But without fat, they are easy to overcook which leaves them dry and tough. Uninteresting, if not unpalatable. Poaching helps protect them from being dry and tough.

Poached chicken isn’t something you run across every day, but that may change. Poaching is a gentle, moist cooking method. Food is cooked in liquid just below the boiling point. It’s simmering the meat in water until it’s done. In the case of chicken, that’s 165℉.

Place chicken in single layer and minced dried onion in a medium sauce, add water to cover. Heat water to boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover, cook 10 minutes. Depending on the thickness of the chicken, it may take 5-10 minutes more simmering. The chicken will turn white and the thickest part of meat should reach 165℉. Remove pan from heat and let chicken cool.

How to take the temperature of a chicken breast

Chicken should be cooked to 165℉. Insert a thermometer into the side of the chicken breast (rather than sticking in straight down into the piece. The easiest way to do this is to use tongs to lift the chicken out of the poaching liquid, insert the thermometer and give it 15 seconds to determine the temperature. If there is a bone, insert the thermometer away form the bone – you don’t want the probe touching the bone, just the meat.

Insert thermometer horizontally, wait 15 seconds for accurate temperature. 165℉ for poultry.

How to toast sesame seeds

Sesame seeds come in black, brown and white. The difference is in the hulling, darker seeds have the hull on, lighter are hulled. I prefer unhulled black and brown sesame seeds. They have a bit more nutty flavor than the hulled, white sesame seeds, though all work in this recipe. Spread sesame seeds in skillet and heat over medium, stir occasionally, toast 5-7 minutes until they smell fragrant and nutty. Some may pop as they heat. Remove pan from stove to let cool.

Store sesame seeds in the freezer (in an airtight container) for up to 3 years.

Why I like Asian Sesame Chicken Salad

  1. Well, besides the taste, it’s pretty quick to pull together.
  2. It tastes good!
  3. It feels light and fresh, but stays with you so you’re not hungry in an hour.
  4. Is good as tomorrow’s bestover.
  5. It’s fiber-filled.

Speaking of fiber. you might like a bit more fiber scoop. 👇

High Five Fiber Challenge

Are you ready for your own fiber challenge? I created a free, 5-day challenge you can join by clicking this link. You’ll get tips and tools, resources and recipes to create your own roadmap to meet your fiber goals. Don’t ya? Won’t ya? Seriously, it’s only 5 days 😉 Find it right here.

Pin it for later!

bowl of Asian chicken salad

Here’s another hearty LiveBest salad: Mediterranean Quinoa Power Bowl.

P.S. Hungry for more healthy living tips and recipes? Sign up for my newsletter here. As a registered dietitian, deliciously healthy eating is my focus.

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Asian Sesame Chicken Salad

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4 from 1 review

Asian Sesame Chicken Salad is tender poached chicken, crunchy red cabbage, and sweet carrots tossed in an Asian sesame vinaigrette.

  • Author: Judy Barbe
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Main Salad
  • Method: Stove
  • Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups water
  • ½ teaspoon minced dried onion
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 4 cups red cabbage, shredded
  • 2 large whole carrots, shredded
  • ¼ cups chopped fresh herbs, (parsley, mint, basil, or cilantro, all or a mixture)
  • ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice or rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled, minced
  • 1 teaspoon chile sauce (sambal oelek, Sirarcha, garlic chile sauce, or gochujang)
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • ¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts or 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

Poach Chicken: Place chicken in a single layer and minced dried onion in a medium sauce, add water to cover. Heat water to boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover, cook 10 minutes. Depending on the thickness of the chicken, it may take 5-10 minutes more simmering. The chicken will turn white and the thickest part of meat should reach 165℉ with a meat thermometer. Remove chicken and allow to cool.

Salad: Thinly slice red cabbage and red onion. Shred carrot. Chop herbs. Place in large bowl.

Vinaigrette: In small bowl or jar with lid, combine oil, lime juice or vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, fresh ginger, chile sauce, honey and water.

Then: Shred chicken, toss with cabbage mixture, drizzle vinaigrette, sprinkle peanuts or sesame seeds over top

 

 

 

Notes

To toast sesame seeds: spread in skillet and heat over medium, stir occasionally, toast 5-7 minutes until they smell fragrant and nutty. Some may pop as they heat. Remove pan from stove to let cool.

Comments

  1. The reason for four stars instead of five is that I loved this salad but my husband was just okay with it. I keep trying recipes with Asian flavors but they just aren’t for him. Just means more for me! What I loved about this, other than the taste, was how easy it was to make. Perfect for hot summer nights. I put it together in no time at all. The flavor of the dressing is very good and I’ll make it for other salads. Thanks for a great recipe.






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