This Chinese Chicken Salad is a crunchy salad dream with tons of sweet and savory flavor. The almond butter sesame dressing is sweetened with dates, making this salad paleo and Whole30 compliant. Perfect for lunches and dinners, and the leftovers save well to pack the next day.
The heatwave has officially taken me down. I used to openly HATE the heat, but over the past few years started to sort of like it/embrace it. I even thought maybe I could be one of those “the hotter the better” people.
But as of today, I guess that’s a no. When the real-feel passes 100° F, my body quickly says “f— no”. Doing a hot yoga class in the morning probably didn’t help the situation, even wearing breathable, moisture wicking gear. No matter how much water I drink, moving even a little bit seems out of reach.
But seriously, if you are one of those hotter-the-better people, I envy you big time right now.
Now for the transition to this salad!
Option 1: “salads are great in the heat!” Yes, this is true, except for the fact that for this particular Chinese chicken salad, I have you pan frying your chicken, possibly the hottest way to cook anything. So darn, this transition is flawed.
Option 2: “even if I can’t handle the heat, I am still grateful for huge salads loaded with crunchy goodies and packed with flavor like this Chinese Chicken Salad!” Good enough for me. And really, ain’t it the truth. Amen.
But even more seriously, you are going to flipping LOVE this salad. Because the dressing is drinkable (weird, but this is my standard for salad dressing) the chicken is flavorful and juicy and even after all that, it’s both Paleo and Whole30 compliant.
This Chinese Chicken Salad is bound to become one of your absolute favorite, put-on-repeat salads! But don’t take my word for it just like that – you need to make it to believe it.
Ingredients in Chinese Chicken Salad
- Slaw mix
- Purple cabbage
- Scallions
- Cashews or almonds
- Cilantro
- Mandarin oranges
- Avocado oil
- Chicken thigs
- Onion powder & garlic powder
- Sea salt & black pepper
I decided to use boneless, skinless thighs over breasts because they are so much juicier and more flavorful. I basically use them whenever I possibly can because they are just that GOOD!
However, you can easily swap in breasts if that’s your thing. Heck, you can use whatever chicken you like! Leftover rotisserie, slow cooked, instant pot – the sky is the limit – use your favorite.
Ingredients in Almond Butter Sesame Dressing
- Medjool dates
- Almond butter
- Coconut aminos
- Sesame oil
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Rice vinegar
If you want you can substitute apple cider vinegar for the rice vinegar.
How to Make Almond Butter Sesame Dressing
Put all of the dressing ingredients into a blender and blend until everything is combined and has become smooth and creamy. Don’t worry if your dressing is too thick – you can add a small amount of water to smooth it out. Start with a 1/2 teaspoon and add more if necessary.
To keep the salad Whole30 compliant, I used Medjool dates to sweeten the dressing. DO NOT be intimidated if this is new to you – they blend up perfectly smooth with the rest of the ingredients.
I used a NutriBullet but you can probably use any blender. Just make sure you soak your dates in a little hot water before using them to make sure they’re nice and soft.
I hope you’re ready for a super easy yet HIGHLY delicious Chinese Chicken Salad recipe that’s going to become a new favorite – even for the non-paleo eaters! Get your dates soaking and grab your ingredients, it’s time to EAT – let’s go!
Paleo Chinese Chicken Salad {Whole30}
Paleo Chinese Chicken Salad {Whole30}
Ingredients
Almond Butter Sesame Dressing:
- 3 medjool dates pitted and softened if necessary by soaking in very hot water for 5 minutes
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 3 Tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 inch fresh ginger peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Salad:
- 2 cups slaw mix
- 1 cup Purple cabbage shredded
- 1 bunch Scallions green and white parts, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup Raw cashews or almonds, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1/2 cup Mandarin oranges check labels for Whole30
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil ghee, or coconut oil
- 1 1/2 lbs Chicken thighs boneless and skinless
- 3/4 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- Sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
Prepare the Dressing:
-
Place all ingredients in a small, powerful blender (I used a NutriBullet) and blend until smooth and creamy. If the mixture is extremely thick, you can add a tiny bit of water until it reaches desired thickness. Cover the dressing and place it in the refrigerator while you prepare the salad.
Prepare the Salad:
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In a large serving bowl, combine the slaw mix, cabbage, sliced scallions, nuts, cilantro, and mandarin oranges. Set aside while you cook the chicken.
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Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the oil or ghee. Pat the chicken dry and season all over with the onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
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Add chicken to the sizzling skillet and cook 5-7 minutes on the first side, adjusting the heat if necessary to get a nice golden brown crust. Flip and cook another 5 minutes on the second side, until deep golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165° F.
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Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Once it cools for 1-2 minutes, slice it or cut into bite size pieces. Arrange over the salad, then toss with as much dressing as you like, or, serve the dressing on the side if you prefer. Makes about 6 servings. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Shop Products and Ingredients:
Want More Whole30 Salad Recipes? Try One of These!
Kale Salad with Chicken, Caramelized Onions and Hot Bacon Dressing
Crispy Chicken Salad with “Honey” Mustard Dressing
BLT Chicken Salad with Peppercorn Ranch Dressing
Shrimp Cobb Salad with Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette
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Yum
I made this tonight and it was amazing! It will definitely be making a regular appearance in my house! I cannot say enough how delicious and tasty it was! I can hardly wait for lunch tomorrow!
This sounds so flavorful and absolutely delicious! I love eating salads in the summer heat!
What can I say,you did it again, this is delicious we love it.
One question though,my dressing came out a little thick, I think maybe from my almond butter, but still yummy.
Any ideas on how to make it a little less thick?
I added some of the water I soaked my dates in for the same reason
Does this salad hold up well over a few days?? Looks like it would make great lunches for work.
My hubby and I prefer pineapple tidbits over mandarine oranges so that’s how I tweaked this AMAZING recipe. It is good warm, hot, room temperature or cold – another amazing thing. I took it to work the next day – excellent leftovers! LOVE THIS!
Made this salad tonight, and my whole family loved it. Making it again.
SO DELICIOUS!!!
This was a great salad, even on this cold November night. I did sub raw honey for the dates, since I’m done with my Whole30, but the dressing was fabulous! Thanks for another great recipe.