Sesame Chicken Salad
This sesame chicken salad made with shredded grilled chicken, crunchy veggies like kale and cabbage, roasted cashews and a creamy sesame tahini dressing is my ideal chicken salad recipe. It comes together in under 30 minutes and tastes even better the next day, making it the perfect meal prep.
The homemade tahini sesame dressing is the star of the recipe. It truly tastes store-bought and will hands down be my new go-to dressing!
This salad packs in all of my must have salad components-
- A green veggie- kale
- Crunchy veggies- cucumbers and radish
- Pop of color- purple cabbage
- Something crunchy- roasted cashews
- Protein- shredded grilled chicken
- A fun dressing- creamy sesame tahini dressing
What you’ll need to make sesame chicken salad
Feel free to use up your favorite veggies for this recipe. Here’s what I added to my salad-
- Kale and purple cabbage as the base
- Cucumbers and radish for extra crunch
- Grilled chicken for protein- you can use breast, tenders, thighs or a store-bought rotisserie chicken
- Roasted cashews for added crunch
- Scallions and cilantro for extra flavor
- Homemade sesame dressing
- Season the chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Grill it on a pan for about 7-8 minutes per side, until cooked through. Once its ready, let it rest for 5 minutes before shredded it with a fork or your hands
- Cut the kale and cabbage into shreds, and slice the radish and cucumbers into thin strips
- Prepare the sesame dressing by whisking the ingredients together until smooth
- Massage half of the dressing into the kale and cabbage. Top the salad with the remaining ingredients then toss with the remaining dressing
Sesame Dressing
The sesame dressing adds the perfect flavor to the salad. It’s made with a few simple pantry ingredients, and can stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days. Here’s what you’ll need-
- Avocado oil or light olive oil
- Sesame oil
- Tahini paste
- Honey or maple syrup
- Soy sauce
- Sesame seeds
- Rice vinegar
Everything gets mixed in a jar until smooth and creamy, then tossed together with your chopped salad.
Bake, grill or air-fry the chicken
I used chicken tenders for this recipe that I seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder and olive oil. You can use chicken breast, chicken thighs, or a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
To grill the chicken
I chose to cook the chicken on a grill pan. Heat a pan on medium heat with olive oil. Cook the chicken for about 4-5 minutes per side for tenders, until browned and caramelized or 7-8 minutes per side for breast.
To bake or air-fry the chicken
Season the chicken with spices and olive oil. Bake it on 400 F for about 15-18 minutes, flipping halfway through
I love this salad for many reasons, but mostly because its so versatile and tastes delicious even the next day. I got so many requests for the recipe when I teased it on my stories, so I hope you love it as much as I do!
More hearty salad recipes
Asparagus Quinoa Salad
Salmon Farro Salad
Arugula Steak Salad
Sesame Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken- breast, tenderloins or thighs
- 3 cups shredded purple cabbage
- 4-5 cups shredded kale, 1 bunch
- 3 radishes
- 2 Persian cucumbers
- 4 scallions chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
- 1/2 cup roasted cashews
- Olive oil
- Salt, pepper and garlic powder for the chicken
Sesame Dressing
- 3 tbsp light olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 tbsp tahini paste
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- Pinch of salt
Directions
- Season the chicken breast with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Toss in a drizzle of olive oil.
- Heat a skillet or pan on medium heat with a drizzle of oil. Grill the chicken for about 7-8 minutes per side, until cooked to an internal temperature of 165 F. Set aside to cool while you prepare the vegetables. If using chicken breast, thicker pieces may require longer cook time. Let the chicken cool for 5 minutes, then shred it chicken with your hands or a fork, or cut into small cubes.
- Prepare the sesame dressing by adding all of the ingredients to a bowl or jar, and whisking or shaking until smooth. If the dressing is too thick, add 1-2 tbsp of water if needed. Taste and adjust salt.
- Slice the radishes and cucumbers into rounds, then thinly slice into strips.
- Add the kale and cabbage to a large salad bowl and pour in half of the dressing. Massage well into the kale and cabbage using your hands. Add the radishes and cucumbers to the salad with the chopped scallions, cilantro and roasted cashews.
- Add the chicken to the salad and pour the remaining dressing on top. Mix well with tongs.
- The salad will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days.
This worked exactly as written, thanks!