Asian Chicken Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing

If you’re craving a fresh, crunchy, and flavor-packed meal, this Asian Chicken Salad is an easy, healthy option for lunch or dinner.

This colorful salad brings together tender shredded chicken, crisp cabbage and romaine, crunchy carrots, bright herbs, and toasted almonds, all tossed in a vibrant sesame-ginger dressing made with tamari, garlic, honey, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil.

The result is a restaurant-quality salad that’s high in protein, full of texture, and incredibly satisfying. Best of all, it comes together in about 25 minutes, making it ideal for busy weeknights, meal prep, or a light summer meal.

Why You’ll Love This Asian Chicken Salad

This salad delivers on everything you want in a meal: nutritious, filling, and full of bold flavor. Lean protein from chicken pairs with crunchy vegetables and a homemade dressing that brings the whole dish together.

What makes this recipe work:

• High in protein and nutrient-dense
• Packed with crunchy vegetables
• Naturally gluten-free when using tamari
• Excellent for meal prep lunches
• A fresher alternative to takeout salads

Ingredients such as cabbage, romaine, carrots, and cilantro add texture, vitamin C, and fiber, while the dressing contributes antioxidant-rich ginger, sesame, and garlic. It’s a delicious bowl of wholesome ingredients.

Cabbage and romaine are good sources of vitamin C and fiber. Cilantro adds bright flavor, and the dressing—made with fresh ginger, garlic, toasted sesame oil, and raw honey—offers antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Altogether, it’s a tasty, healthful bowl.

High-Protein Meal Prep Salad

This Asian Chicken Salad works wonderfully for meal prep. Shredded chicken combined with sturdy veggies like cabbage and carrots holds up well in the fridge and keeps you full longer than a typical leafy salad. The almonds and sesame in the dressing add healthy fats for balance.

You can prepare the components ahead: cook and shred the chicken, slice the vegetables, and whisk up the dressing. Store them separately and toss together when ready to serve. The salad stays crisp for several days when stored properly.

Ingredients for Asian Chicken Salad

This recipe uses simple, whole ingredients for bright, layered flavor.

For the Salad

• Cooked chicken breasts, shredded or sliced
• Purple cabbage
• Green cabbage
• Romaine lettuce
• Carrots
• Fresh cilantro
• Green onions
• Sliced almonds
• Fresh oranges, peeled and segmented

The combination of cabbage and romaine creates a satisfying mix of crunch and freshness, while oranges add a natural sweetness that complements the savory sesame dressing.

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Sesame Ginger Dressing

The homemade dressing is the flavor anchor for this salad. It’s savory, slightly sweet, and full of umami.

Ingredients include:

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Toasted sesame oil
• Tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
• Fresh grated ginger
• Garlic
• Raw honey
• Rice vinegar
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Sea salt and pepper

How to Make Asian Chicken Salad

1. Cook the Chicken

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Grill at high heat for about 4–5 minutes per side, or cook in a skillet over medium-high heat for roughly the same time, depending on thickness. Shred or slice into bite-sized pieces once cooked.

2. Prepare the Vegetables

Thinly slice the purple and green cabbage, romaine, carrots, green onions, and chop cilantro. Add all vegetables and orange segments to a large mixing bowl.

3. Toast the Almonds

In a small skillet over medium heat, toast sliced almonds for about two minutes until lightly golden. Set aside to cool.

4. Make the Dressing

Whisk together olive oil, toasted sesame oil, tamari, grated ginger, minced garlic, raw honey, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, salt, and pepper until well combined. If your sesame seeds aren’t toasted, toast them briefly in a dry skillet until fragrant.

5. Toss and Serve

Pour the dressing over the vegetables and orange segments, toss to coat evenly, then add the shredded chicken and toasted almonds. Chill for 10–15 minutes if you like, then serve. Garnish with sliced avocado if desired.

Tips for the Best Asian Chicken Salad

Use shredded chicken
Shredded chicken holds the dressing better and ensures even distribution in every bite.

Slice vegetables thinly
Thin slices give the salad the classic chopped texture and make it easier to eat.

Chill briefly before serving
Letting the salad rest for 10–15 minutes helps the dressing meld with the ingredients.

Toast the almonds
Toasting brings out a deeper, nuttier flavor and adds extra crunch.

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Variations

Make it vegetarian

Replace the chicken with tofu, tempeh, or edamame for a satisfying plant-based option.

Add more vegetables

Try bell peppers, cucumbers, snap peas, or bean sprouts to increase color and crunch.

What’s the difference between cabbage and lettuce?

Cabbage is denser and crunchier with a slightly peppery flavor, while lettuce is generally softer and milder. Cabbage is often used in cooked dishes like stir-fries, soups, and kimchi, whereas lettuce frequently serves as a raw salad base or sandwich garnish.

Is it better to make salad dressings at home?

Homemade dressings are usually the healthier choice: you control the oils, sweeteners, and seasonings, avoiding many of the additives found in shelf-stable store-bought dressings. Using olive or avocado oil, fresh herbs, and natural sweeteners like raw honey makes for a fresher, cleaner dressing.

Love this Asian-inspired chicken salad? Here are more salads to try

Wild Salmon Niçoise Salad
Grilled Summer Pasta Salad
Crispy Hot Honey Chicken Caesar Salad
Protein-Packed Chicken and Edamame Salad
Sheet Pan Greek Chicken and Chickpea Salad

Click here to watch the reel made of this recipe 🙂