Asian Chicken Cranberry Salad Recipe
Asian Chicken Cranberry Salad is a vibrant and refreshing dish featuring tender rotisserie chicken, crunchy toasted almonds, sweet dried cranberries, and fresh vegetables. This easy-to-make salad is dressed with a zesty blend of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, honey, and ginger for a delicious fusion of Asian flavors. Perfect as a main course, side dish, or appetizer, this salad is nutritious, colorful, and quick to prepare in just 15 minutes, making it ideal for family meals, gatherings, or picnic occasions.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves approximately 10
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 small bags of coleslaw mix (about 12 cups)
- 4 cups rotisserie chicken (finely chopped)
- 1 ½ cups toasted sliced almonds (or cashews)
- 1 ½ cup dried cranberries
- ¾ cup red onion (finely diced)
- 1 cup sesame sticks (optional)
- 1 ½ cups chopped cilantro
Dressing
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 4 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
- 3-4 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 4 Tbsp. honey or brown sugar
- 4 Tbsp. minced ginger
- 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Prepare the salad base: In a large mixing bowl, combine the coleslaw mix with finely chopped rotisserie chicken, toasted almonds or cashews, dried cranberries, finely diced red onion, optional sesame sticks, and chopped cilantro. For added sweetness and texture, mandarin oranges can be added if desired.
- Make the dressing: Place the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, low-sodium soy sauce, chopped garlic, honey or brown sugar, minced ginger, and toasted sesame oil in a blender. Blend all ingredients until the dressing is smooth and well emulsified. If the dressing is too thick, thin it out with a little water to achieve the desired consistency.
- Toss the salad: Lightly pour the prepared dressing over the salad mixture. Gently toss all the ingredients together until everything is evenly coated with the dressing.
- Serve or store: Serve the salad immediately for optimal freshness or refrigerate until ready to serve. This salad holds well chilled and the flavors meld nicely if allowed to sit for a short time.
Notes
- The salad can be customized by adding mandarin oranges for a fruity twist.
- Toasted almonds can be substituted with cashews for a different nutty flavor.
- If you prefer a less sweet dressing, reduce the amount of honey or brown sugar.
- Sesame sticks are optional but add a nice crunchy texture.
- Keep the salad refrigerated if preparing in advance to maintain freshness.
Find it online: https://recipepact.com/asian-chicken-cranberry-salad-recipe/
