Craving a salad that combines crunch and flavor? Enter my Chinese Chicken Salad—a delightful harmony of textures and tastes. Quick to whip up, it features an ensemble of straightforward and fresh ingredients, including broccoli slaw, carrot sticks, water chestnuts, and almonds, all complemented by irresistibly marinated chicken. You might find it impossible to believe that it's also Whole30 compliant (and even naturally gluten free!)
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This easy salad is a symphony of freshness and simplicity, and it's one of my favorite Whole30 salad recipes! The diverse ingredients come together effortlessly, creating a dish that's not just beautiful and bright, but a true delight for your taste buds. For the perfect finishing touch, don't forget to try it with my Sesame Ginger Dressing—it's the magic that ties this salad together. Bonus: it makes a great option for meal prep for the week ahead!
Ingredients You Will Need
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: I like Rastelli's Delivered as their chicken is organic and comes from a small farming collective, never receive antibiotics or hormones and are humanely treated.
Sesame Oil: Sesame oil's nutty aroma and rich, savory flavor enhance this marinade.
Garlic Powder: Using garlic powder over minced garlic is best in this recipe as it easily dissipates into the marinade for a better overall taste and texture.
Ground Ginger: Ground ginger adds a warm and aromatic flavor, enhancing the overall taste profile of the dish.
Coconut Aminos: A gluten free and soy-free alternative to traditional soy sauce, coconut aminos bring a rich umami flavor and a subtle saltiness and sweetness to a dish.
Lime: Lime adds a bright and zesty dimension to this marinade. The recipe calls for an optional extra squeeze of lime on top of the salad to help brighten the flavors even further.
Arrowroot Powder: A versatile thickening agent in recipes, arrowroot powder serves as an excellent alternative to cornstarch or flour without impacting the flavor of a dish. Additionally, it's worth noting that arrowroot powder and arrowroot flour are interchangeable, allowing you to use either one in your cooking.
Broccoli Slaw: A crisp and crunchy salad made from shredded broccoli stems and often includes shredded carrots and cabbage too.
Carrot Sticks: Carrot sticks add a delightful crunch that complements the shredded broccoli slaw, enhancing the texture and adding more colors. If you want even more color, try adding in some thinly sliced red bell pepper, too.
Water Chestnuts: Water chestnuts are commonly available in most grocery stores, often found canned and can be found sliced or whole. They are crisp and crunchy and make a delightful addition to salads.
Tangerines/Mandarin Oranges: Tangerines are similar to mandarin oranges, often used interchangeably. Either of these citrus fruits add a vibrantly sweet and citrusy flavor to this salad.
Slivered Almonds: Slivered almonds add a delightful crunch to salads, and their mild yet neutral flavor complements the other ingredients, making them a popular choice over other nuts for added texture.
Green Onions: Also known as scallions, green onions impart a mild, onion-like flavor and a touch of freshness.
Sesame Seeds: Sesame seeds provide a delightful crunch and a nutty, earthy flavor, adding texture to dishes.
Instructions
Marinate the chicken: Mix together the sesame oil, garlic, ginger, coconut aminos and lime, then add the chicken to marinate.
Mix up the salad: Toss together the broccoli slaw, carrots, water chestnuts, tangerines, almonds and green onion. Give everything a good toss.
Cook the chicken: Heat oil in a pan. Add the arrowroot powder to the chicken and toss it well. Cook the chicken 2-3 minutes per side, depending on how large the bites are.
Add the chicken to the salad: Once fully cooked, add the chicken to the salad.
Dress the salad: Pour the dressing on top, then garnish with limes and sesame seeds.
Enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
Marinate it longer: When making the chicken, allowing the chicken to sit in the marinade for at least 30 minutes will help it absorb more flavor! If possible, marinating for up to 2 hours in the refrigerator can intensify the flavors.
Save some without the dressing: If you're planning on saving leftovers for another day, it's advisable not to dress the entire salad in one go. Instead, add the sesame dressing to individual portions just before serving to maintain the salad's freshness and crispness.
Recipe Variations
Experiment with marinades: While this Whole30 Chinese Chicken salad calls for a specific marinade, you can switch up your marinade ingredients based on your preferences or try sauces with a little more sweetness, like a teriyaki sauce if you're not needing a Whole30-compliant option.
Want a little spice? Try sprinkling in a pinch of crushed red pepper or a little bit of sriracha into the marinade to give the chicken a subtle kick.
Storage Tips
This Whole30 Chinese Chicken Salad can be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days when placed in a sealed airtight glass container (just keep the dressing separate until you're ready to serve).
FAQs About Whole30 Chinese Chicken Salad
What is Chinese chicken salad made of?
My version of this Whole30 Chinese chicken salad includes a medley of ingredients, featuring broccoli slaw, carrot sticks, water chestnuts, and almonds, all harmonized by chicken marinated in sesame oil, garlic, ginger, coconut aminos and lime.
What is Chinese salad dressing made of?
I recommend pairing this chicken salad with my homemade Sesame Ginger Dressing, but you can dress it with whatever you love most!
Is Chinese chicken salad healthy?
Yes, my version of this Whole30 Chicken Salad can be a healthy option, especially when incorporating nutrient-rich vegetables, lean proteins, and a well-balanced dressing.
Chinese Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts cubed in bite size pieces
- 2 tablespoon Sesame Oil divided
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Ginger ground
- 3 tablespoon Coconut Aminos
- 1 Lime juiced
- 2 tablespoon Arrowroot Powder
- 12 oz Broccoli Slaw
- 1 cup Carrot Sticks
- 8 oz Water Chestnuts sliced & drained
- 11 oz Tangerines Mandarin Orange, unsweetened & drained
- ½ cup Slivered Almonds
- 4 pieces Green Onion Scallion, sliced on bias
- 1 Lime sliced for garnish
- 1 tablespoon Sesame Seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Marinate chicken in first 5 ingredients, set aside
- Add to a large bowl, broccoli slaw, carrots, water chestnuts, almonds, mandarins & onions
- Toss well
- Heat oil in pan
- Add arrowroot to chicken & toss well
- Cook chicken 2-3 minutes per side, depending on how large the bites are
- Add to chicken to salad
- Add dressing
- Garnish with limes & sesame seeds
- Enjoy!
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