Chicken Cashew Crunch Salad (Print Version)
Tender chicken, crisp veggies, and roasted cashews tossed in a tangy sesame-soy dressing with a satisfying crunch.
# What You Need:
→ Poultry
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Vegetables
04 - 2 cups shredded Napa cabbage
05 - 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
06 - 1 large carrot, julienned
07 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
08 - 3 green onions, sliced
09 - 1 cup snap peas, sliced on the diagonal
10 - ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
→ Crunch & Toppings
11 - ¾ cup roasted cashew nuts, roughly chopped
12 - 1 cup crispy wonton strips
13 - 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
→ Dressing
14 - ¼ cup rice vinegar
15 - 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
16 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
17 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
18 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
19 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
20 - 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
21 - 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili garlic sauce (optional)
22 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Coat chicken breasts with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Grill or pan-sear over medium-high heat for 6 to 7 minutes per side until fully cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine shredded Napa cabbage, purple cabbage, julienned carrot, sliced red bell pepper, green onions, diagonal-cut snap peas, and fresh cilantro leaves. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, low-sodium soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, honey or maple syrup, vegetable oil, grated ginger, minced garlic, and sriracha if using. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Blend until emulsified.
04 - Add the sliced chicken to the vegetable mixture. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Scatter chopped roasted cashews, crispy wonton strips, and sesame seeds over the salad just before serving. Serve immediately to maintain maximum crunch and texture.
# Insider Tips:
01 -
- The double cabbage situation keeps everything impossibly crisp even after the dressing lands, so leftovers the next day still have that fresh snap.
- That sesame soy dressing hits sweet, tangy, and savory all at once, and it takes about sixty seconds to whisk together with pantry staples you probably already have.
02 -
- Once the wonton strips hit the dressed salad you have maybe ten minutes before they soften into sadness, so if you are prepping ahead keep everything separate and assemble at the last possible moment.
- Resting the chicken is not optional, slicing into it immediately sends all those juices straight onto your cutting board instead of into each bite where they belong.
03 -
- Warm chicken absorbs dressing differently than cold chicken does, so if you slice it while it is still slightly warm you get deeper flavor penetration into every piece.
- Toasting sesame seeds in a dry pan for about ninety seconds until they just start to smell fragrant doubles their flavor with almost zero extra effort.