Chicken Cashew Crunch Salad (Printable)
Tender chicken, crisp veggies, roasted cashews, and tangy sesame-soy dressing in every crunchy bite.
# 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 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
→ Crunch & Toppings
11 - 3/4 cup roasted cashew nuts, roughly chopped
12 - 1 cup crispy wonton strips
13 - 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
→ Dressing
14 - 1/4 cup rice vinegar
15 - 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
16 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
17 - 1 tablespoon honey
18 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
19 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
20 - 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
21 - 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili garlic sauce
22 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# Steps:
01 - Coat the chicken breasts evenly with olive oil, then season generously with salt and black pepper. Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded Napa cabbage, purple cabbage, julienned carrot, sliced red bell pepper, green onions, diagonally sliced snap peas, and fresh cilantro leaves. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, low-sodium soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, honey, vegetable oil, grated ginger, minced garlic, and sriracha until smooth and well emulsified. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
04 - Add the sliced chicken to the vegetable mixture. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss gently until all components are evenly coated.
05 - Scatter the chopped roasted cashews, crispy wonton strips, and sesame seeds over the salad just before serving to maintain maximum crunch and texture.
06 - Divide among plates and serve immediately while the toppings are at their crispiest.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The double cabbage situation means it holds up beautifully in the fridge without getting soggy, which makes it the rare salad that survives as next day lunch.
- That sesame soy dressing is the kind of thing you will start putting on everything from rice bowls to roasted broccoli.
02 -
- Add the wonton strips at the very last second or they will go soft and defeat the entire purpose of calling this a crunch salad.
- Letting the dressing sit for ten minutes before tossing helps the ginger and garlic mellow into something smoother and more rounded.
03 -
- Slice the chicken while it is still slightly warm so it absorbs the dressing better than cold chicken ever could.
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan for two minutes and watch them go from pale to golden, because that tiny step adds a layer of flavor that raw seeds simply cannot match.