Whole30 Asian Inspired Chicken Salad

On Whole30, one thing I really miss is an Asian Inspired Chicken Salad. This recipe is all about the prep: matchstick carrots, shredded cabbage—get wild and use both purple and green cabbage. This would be lovely with my Everyday Roast Chicken Breast, but we took it up a notch by sprinkling Five Spice and garlic on Chicken Bites and sautéed until brown and crunchy (which by the way is a spectacular meal in and of itself). The coup de grace is my amazing new Creamy Almond Sesame Dressing, which includes a combination of coconut aminos, almond butter, light olive oil, toasted sesame oil, and rice vinegar. I used a couple of dates to sweeten it up. The trick is to blend the dressing long enough to really get the dates emulsified and puréed.

Have you ever matchsticked carrots? It’s my absolute favorite way to cut carrots for a salad, a faux-inspired Pad Thai, or even simply sauteed. Cut carrots thinly on a diagonal, then put a stack of cut carrots down and thinly slice again into matchsticks. A beautiful, easy trick, great for texture, taste, and presentation. This is a nice dish to do ahead–all the cutting, shredding, and slicing can be done the day before. Easy to take this as a meal to go, or as something to take to someone’s home. Have all the ingredients prepped and cooked, then simply assemble and toss together. I dare you not to love this dish!

Whole30 Asian Inspired Chicken Salad

★★★★★ 5 from 7 reviews

• Author: nocrumbsleft
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Category: Salad
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

This Whole30 salad is so delicious, and it is so good for meal prep and for your Whole30 lunches all week!

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Ingredients

For the Dressing:

2 – 3 dates

½ cup light olive oil

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

2 teaspoons coconut aminos

3 tablespoons almond butter

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

 

For the Chicken:

6 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into ½-inch cubes

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon Five Spice

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, divided

 

For the Salad:

8 cups shredded cabbage (we used green and purple cabbage)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups julienned carrots                

½ cup green onion, sliced

½ cup slivered almonds

One 10.7 ounce can Whole 30 compliant mandarin oranges, drained

1 mango, diced (optional)

1 teaspoon black sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

Make the dressing:

Chop the dates into small pieces. Soften the dates in hot water for 10 minutes and drain. 

Blend the dates, olive oil, and sesame oil in a food processor until emulsified (approximately 1-2 minutes). Add all other ingredients to the food processor and pulse until completely combined. Scrape down the sides of the processor as needed. Set aside.

 

Make the chicken:

In a small bowl, combine the salt, Five Spice, garlic powder, and pepper to make a spice mixture. Stir to mix well. Set aside.

 

Place the chicken in a large bowl. Drizzle the chicken with 1 teaspoon olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the spice mixture and toss to coat thoroughly and evenly. Set aside.

 

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Place the chicken in a pan in a single layer and cook until crispy and brown, about 4 minutes. Flip each piece over and cook until done, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

 

Make the salad:

In a large bowl, add the shredded cabbage and carrots, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper, tossing to coat evenly. Add the green onions, almonds, mandarin oranges, mango (optional), and chicken bits. Add ½ cup of the dressing and toss to coat thoroughly. Serve garnished with black sesame seeds and the remaining dressing on the side. Enjoy!

 

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Keywords: whole30 chicken salad, whole30 asian chicken salad