This post may contain affiliate links, please see the privacy policy for details.
Asian chicken salad with honey ginger dressing is one of the best salads ever and you’ll want it throughout the year. Cabbage chicken salad is not only really tasty, but it’s also easy to throw together. As well as the chicken and cabbage, this is a salad with avocado, carrots, edamame beans, almonds, green onions, and cilantro. You can add some sesame sticks if you like. If you are looking for a cabbage salad recipe, you need to try this!
One of my all-time favorite salads, the incredible dish with chicken, cabbage, avocado, and more will definitely delight your tastebuds!
You could also try a green goddess salad, cobb salad, blackened chicken Caesar, or a rotisserie chicken salad sandwich.
The honey ginger dressing for this chicken cabbage salad recipe is one of my favorite parts. I used a combination of extra-virgin olive oil and sesame oil, as well as rice wine vinegar and soy sauce for savory elements. I added honey for sweetness and then ginger and garlic too. The dressing is really good and goes so well with the ingredients in this Asian chicken salad.
This is really easy to make because you just have to combine the salad ingredients in a bowl and then mix the honey ginger dressing ingredients. That’s all, so this cabbage salad recipe is a snap to make and you can put it together in record time.
I used red cabbage when making this just because the colour looks so good contrasting with the other ingredients, but you can use green cabbage or even a combination.
Why Asian Chicken Salad is So Good
This Asian cabbage chicken salad is versatile. It can be the main event or served alongside as a side dish. The flavors are just amazing.
If you want this salad with avocado as a side dish, you might prefer to leave out the chicken. Doing that means you’ll need less of the honey ginger dressing.
Then you could serve it alongside crispy fried chicken. Use Panko breadcrumbs on the chicken to continue the Asian theme!
Some Variations You Might Like
If you want to add more to this Asian chicken salad, consider adding something sweet to the mix.
Drain a can of mandarin orange segments and add some of those, or throw in some chopped green apple or dried cranberries or cherries. The slivered almonds can be swapped for chopped cashews if you prefer, or even peanuts.
A handful of beansprouts would work here or some water chestnuts, fried vermicelli noodles, or sliced daikon radish. This cabbage salad recipe is going to be amazing whatever you add or choose to leave out. This salad with avocado is something you need to make at least once.
You can make it vegan by swapping the honey for sugar or sweetener and using tofu instead of the chicken. If you want a change of pace, you can use additional veggies instead of a protein option.
Asian Avocado Salad with Chicken History
You might be wondering about the history behind this Chinese salad with avocado and the honey ginger dressing. Actually, rather than being Chinese, it’s considered fusion or Pan-Asian cuisine. A green lettuce based salad is a Western not an Eastern idea. Also this type of salad is way more mainstream in North America than anywhere in Asia.
A lot of North American cookbooks in the 1950s started listing Asian style chicken salads. These would feature sesame seeds as a main ingredient in the salad and also the dressing, while before these seeds were just a garnish.
Twenty-five years ago, these recipes would include soy sauce, salad oil and garlic, as well as ginger which was exotic back them. Chinese five-spice or cinnamon was often used too. A sherry-marinated chicken, sesame seeds, iceberg lettuce, cilantro, green onions and lemon dressing were popular additions. Cashews or peanuts were often added for crunch.
These might not have been in any way authentic, compared to Chinese or other Asian salads, but they were certainly very popular. As well as a cabbage chicken salad recipe, many restaurants offer other options like salmon or seafood instead.
I love making Asian chicken salad and not only because it’s easy. It just makes such a nice change from sandwiches, and it’s also great when it’s hot and I don’t want to stand over the stove.
If you don’t want to cook at all, then you can buy shredded chicken for this Asian cabbage salad recipe and just use that rather than making your own.
Can You Make It Ahead?
You can certainly make this ahead. Keep the salad in one covered container and the dressing in another. By the same token, Asian chicken salad is a great idea to take to a potluck or picnic. I’d advise bringing the dressing along in a sealed bottle. Give it a good shake just before serving the salad, so it is nice and fresh when you serve it. Everyone will love the flavour and the crunch!
Asian Chicken Salad Recipe
Sesame Avocado Asian Chicken Salad
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 Tbsp. sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 1/2 Tsp. ginger, freshly grated
- 1 Clove garlic
- 1 Pinch salt , to taste
- 1 Pinch black pepper, to taste
For the salad
- 2 Cups chicken, cooked and shredded
- 4 Cups red cabbage, (or green) shredded
- 1 Cup carrots, shredded
- 1/2 Cup edamame, shelled
- 1/2 Cup almonds, slivered
- 1 avocado
- 1/2 Cup cilantro
- 4 green onions
- 1/4 Cup sesame sticks, optional
Instructions
- Combine all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or a mason jar. Whisk vigorously to combine, or shake the jar.
- In a large bowl combine all salad ingredients. Toss with dressing to evenly coat.
Nutrition
Let me know if you try out this Asian chicken salad with honey ginger dressing. This cabbage chicken salad makes a quick and flavourful dinner. If you are looking for a cabbage salad recipe or a recipe for a salad with avocado, you need to try this!
You Might Also Like
- Watermelon Jalapeño Salad is bright, beautiful, and brimming with flavor.
- You’ve got to try this viral Green Goddess salad.
- Antipasto Salad is an Italian classic that is a must-try.
- You will love the summery goodness of this Strawberry Fields Salad.
- Here’s another chicken-based salad to try: radicchio endive salad.
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
This dish was beyond my expectations; I want to make it again.
That dressing is out of this world! The best salad I’ve had recently.
I love Asian flavors, so it was easy for me to enjoy this one. Highly recommend!!
This salad is simple, healthy, and so so delicious!
This salad is so colorful! That dressing sounds amazing!
This looks amazing, all my favorite salad items in one bowl!
Yes, yes, yes! All of these things. Honey is basically it’s own food group in my opinion, so any recipe calling for honey is up my alley. Add avocado to that and I’m in heaven. Definitely going to try this!
Yum yum yum! This looks sooo good! I can’t wait to try it out!
Omg this looks like the best salad! So yummy
This is almost like my favorite salad! I need to try this version.