Sesame Chicken Salad

Name: Sesame Chicken Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
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); 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

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 30

A delicious sesame chicken salad made with shredded grilled chicken, crunchy veggies, roasted cashews and a creamy sesame tahini dressing.

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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!