Description
This vibrant Asian Chicken Cranberry Salad combines crunchy coleslaw mix with tender rotisserie chicken, toasted nuts, dried cranberries, and mandarin oranges, all tossed in a flavorful homemade sesame-ginger dressing. Perfect for a fresh, quick, and satisfying meal or side, it offers a delightful balance of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors with an appealing crunchy texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 12 cups coleslaw mix (2 small bags)
- 4 cups rotisserie chicken, finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups toasted sliced almonds or cashews
- 1 ½ cups dried cranberries
- ¾ cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 cup sesame sticks (optional)
- 1 ½ cups chopped cilantro
- 1-2 small cans mandarin oranges, drained
- ¼ cup black sesame seeds or regular sesame seeds
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons minced ginger
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- About 3 tablespoons water (to thin dressing)
Instructions
- Prepare the Salad Base: In a large bowl, layer the coleslaw mix, finely chopped rotisserie chicken, toasted almonds or cashews, dried cranberries, diced red onion, sesame sticks if using, chopped cilantro, and sesame seeds.
- Add Mandarin Oranges: Gently fold in the drained mandarin oranges to evenly distribute the citrus sweetness without mashing them.
- Make the Dressing: In a blender, combine the extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, low-sodium soy sauce, chopped garlic, honey or brown sugar, minced ginger, and toasted sesame oil. Blend until smooth, adding about 3 tablespoons of water to achieve a pourable consistency.
- Toss the Salad: Drizzle the dressing evenly over the salad and toss gently to coat every ingredient with the flavorful dressing.
- Serve: Serve immediately for the freshest crunch, or chill for a short time to let flavors meld and enhance the taste before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute almonds with cashews depending on your preference or nut allergies.
- Sesame sticks are optional but add a wonderful crunch and extra sesame flavor.
- For a vegan version, use maple syrup or agave instead of honey, and substitute rotisserie chicken with marinated tofu or chickpeas.
- The dressing can be adjusted to taste by varying the amount of soy sauce or honey.
- This salad is best consumed within a day for optimal freshness and texture.
