Description
This Asian Chicken Cranberry Salad is a vibrant and crunchy dish combining coleslaw mix, tender rotisserie chicken, toasted nuts, dried cranberries, mandarin oranges, and a flavorful sesame-ginger dressing. Perfect for a quick, healthy, and refreshing meal or side that can be served immediately or chilled for enhanced flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 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
- 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 (for blending)
Instructions
- Assemble the salad: 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 to create the base of the salad.
- Add mandarin oranges: Gently fold in the drained mandarin oranges to integrate the citrusy sweetness without breaking the fruit pieces.
- Prepare the dressing: In a blender, combine extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, 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 suitable for dressing the salad.
- Toss the salad: Drizzle the dressing evenly over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients well, ensuring every bite is flavorful.
- Serve: Serve the salad immediately for a fresh crunch or chill for a short time before serving to enhance and meld the flavors.
Notes
- You can substitute toasted almonds with cashews depending on your preference.
- For a nut-free option, omit the nuts and sesame sticks.
- Chilling the salad approximately 30 minutes before serving can deepen the flavor but is optional.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce to control sodium content.
- The sesame sticks are optional but add a nice crunch and enhance the Asian flavor profile.
