Can you get easily bored of exactly the same salads on a regular basis? I know I really do, so I’m always checking out new salad recipes. This grilled ginger-sesame chicken chopped salad is a superb one to increase your rotation. It’s easy, it really is incredibly flavorful and all of the textures with this salad are perfect – the crunch, the chew, the tenderness and the initial bite from your sesame seeds. I really like that it’s healthy too! Healthy food doesn’t need to be bland and boring, with the proper flavors and some fresh ingredients you’ve got meals worth remembering.
The best section of this salad may be the marinated and grilled chicken. I enjoyed it a lot that I’ll likely just start rendering it all it’s own sometimes. It gets the perfect mixture of flavors as well as the marinade was fast and simple to throw together. Another best part concerning this salad may be the cabbage, how often do we get caught making salads again and again with exactly the same forms of lettuce. It’s nice to truly have a little variation. Summer is salad season so keep this recipe handy and check it out soon!
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Ingredients
Dressing and Marinade
- 1/4 c low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp finely minced ginger
- 3 Tbsp canola oil
- 2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil (I used regular un-toasted since it’s all I had)
- 1 tsp Sriracha (I didn’t even notice it, so if you like heat add a little more)
- 1/2 tsp salt , then more to taste as desired
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions , green and white parts
Salad
- 2 (9 oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 lb napa cabbage , halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups matchstick carrots , or 2 medium carrots cut into matchsticks
- 2/3 cup slivered or sliced almonds , toasted
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves , chopped
- 3 chopped green onions , green and white parts
- 1 tsp white sesame seeds , toasted
- 1 tsp black sesame seeds (or an additional 1 tsp white, toasted)
Instructions
- For that marinade:
- Inside a mixing bowl (or 2-cup liquid measuring cup), whisk together soy sauce, ginger, canola oil, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, Sriracha and 1/2 tsp salt (adding more salt to taste as desired, original recipe demands 1 tsp salt, I added 3/4 tsp and I still thought that has been an excessive amount of).
- Add chicken breasts to a big resealable bag and add 3 Tbsp from the marinade mixture, reserving remaining. Seal bag and rub marinade over chicken, then transfer chicken to refrigerator and let rest at the very least half an hour, or around 1 day.
- For that dressing:
- Add burgandy or merlot wine vinegar and 1/4 cup chopped green onions to remaining dressing mixture and whisk to blend. Reserve (chill in refrigerator if marinating chicken longer than one hour).
- For that salad:
- Heat a grill or grill pan over stove top over medium-high heat. Brush grill lightly with canola or vegetable oil, then place marinated chicken on grill and cook, about 4 minutes per side, or until chicken has cooked through (it will register to 165 degrees in center of chicken when tested having a meat thermometer).
- Transfer to some cutting board and let rest ten minutes. Then, cut chicken crosswise into strips about 1/4-inch thick.
- To put together salad:
- In a big bowl toss together cabbage, chicken, carrots, almonds, 3 chopped green onions, and cilantro with enough dressing to coat salad. Sprinkle top with sesame seeds and serve.
- Recipe Source: adapted from Curtis Stone via Menu Musings
