Yummy Asian Sesame Chicken Salad

If you love Asian style take-out for a weeknight dinner, but don’t really want to eat such a filling plate of food, this Asian sesame chicken salad is easily the next best thing.

The grilled chicken is juicy, the greens I’ve included give just the right amount of crispiness and it’s all topped off with a nutty sesame dressing that is attacks your tastebuds with absolute ninja precision.

I find this version of a chicken salad to be very addicting and it will impress any guest that you’re willing to share it with.

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Kitchen Bits You’ll Need

The essential kitchen bits you’ll need to make this tasty Asian sesame chicken salad are:

• Skillet (if not using pre-cooked chicken)
• Measuring cups & spoons
• Chopping board
• Chopping knife
• Salad bowl
• Small bowl or jar for dressing

Ingredients You’ll Need

This is one of the fastest salads that you can throw together, and even faster if you use pre-grilled chicken breast.

Grilled Chicken

Seasoned and grilled to perfection, it will add a hearty amount of protein to keep you fuller for longer. I have used one chicken breast per person, but you can adjust this as needed for your protein requirements.

If you opt to cook the chicken yourself, start by butterflying the chicken breast, and then marinade it in a little lemon juice mixed with olive oil 15 minutes before cooking for extra tenderness. 

Greens

Mixing up romaine, spinach and some napa cabbage means that this selection of mixed greens provides just the right amount of crunch as well as looking and tasting great too. Don’t forget to rinse and dry off before chopping them up!

Sesame Dressing

I used toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, fresh ginger and a little honey to offset the savory tasty, and the result is a salad dressing that is both tangy and umami-packed! Win!

Toasted Sesame Seeds

I love these for the little bit if crunch they add but also the extra bit of nutty taste too. I mean, who doesn’t love sesame seeds?

Green Onions

I slice mine up thinly to add some freshness to my Asian sesame chicken salad.

Specific Ingredient Amounts

Note that the specific amounts listed are per person as a main!

• 1 chicken breast
• 1 cup romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 cup spinach, roughly chopped
• ½ cup napa cabbage, shredded
• 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
• ½ tablespoon light soy sauce
• ¼ tsp fresh ginger, grated
• ½ teaspoon runny honey
• ½ tablespoon sesame seeds, lightly toasted
• 1 green onion, sliced
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Substitutions To Consider

Chicken: if you don’t enjoy chicken, another option is grilled salmon. Instead of chopping it up like the chicken, lay it on top of the salad instead.

Napa Cabbage: known as Chinese cabbage, they can be hard to find in some areas, so feel free to substitute for another cabbage variety. I am partial to a red cabbage, mostly for the color it adds to this salad.

Green onion: I do prefer the more subtle flavor of a green onion, but if you do not have any, a small amount of red onion finely sliced will work as well.

Making The Asian Sesame Chicken Salad

I have to say, that once you have made this delicious salad for yourself, loved ones will struggle to convince you that you need takeout in your life afterwards… it’s that good!

Step 1: Grab a skillet and place on a low heat. Add the sesame seeds and gently toast for a few minutes. This helps to bring out their nutty flavor. Set aside to cool.

Step 2: If you’re not using a pre-cooked chicken breast, you’ll want to fire up the skillet and cook each chicken breast for 4 or 5 minutes on each side, making sure it is cooked through before setting them aside to rest.

Step 3: Chop the drained lettuce and place into the salad bowl.

Step 4: Roughly chop the spinach – I like mine to be bigger than the lettuce – and put this on top of the romaine lettuce.

Step 5: If you haven’t already done so, finely shred the cabbage and add this to the salad bowl. 

Step 6: In a separate small bowl add the sesame oil, soy sauce, fresh ginger and honey and mix well. You can also use a small jar and shake it well with a sealed lid to combine.

Step 7: Take the rested chicken breast and roughly chop or shred it before adding it into the salad bowl. Another option is to keep it whole and place it on top of the salad when plating.

Step 8: Drizzle the soy dressing over the salad and then give it a good mix to evenly distribute the dressing.

Step 9: Finally, add the toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onion on top before serving.

Serve It With…

I think this Asian sesame chicken salad is a meal in its own right, especially on hot summer nights, but if you felt more was needed you could leave out the chicken and serve the salad with anything Asian inspired.

This is just one of my favorite salads to make throughout the summer months, but I have others that are great for weeknight salad dinners!