Sesame Chicken Salad

How to make sesame chicken salad

1. Make dressing. Whisk together rice vinegar, toasted sesame seed oil, soy sauce, tahini, brown sugar substitute, salt and pepper.
2. Add salad components. To the bowl, add lettuce, shredded red cabbage, green onion, cilantro, slivered or sliced almonds, toasted sesame seeds, black sesame seeds and grilled chicken.
3. Toss to coat. Best enjoyed right away

Key ingredients & swaps

• Tahini salad dressing – This sesame chicken dressing is easy to make. Everything gets whisked together in a bowl. Rice wine vinegar is used for acid to brighten up the dressing. White vinegar and apple cider vinegar can be used in it’s place. Toasted sesame seed oil brings flavor to the dressing. Soy sauce gives a salty umami flavor; however, tamari can be used if gluten free or liquid aminos and coconut aminos can be used if you can’t have soy. Tahini is used for flavor; however, you could substitute with almond butter or peanut butter.
• Butter lettuce – A silky, soft lettuce that almost melts in your mouth especially when covered in tahini dressing. You can substitute with other lettuce varieties, like romaine, green leaf, red leaf or spring mix.
• Red cabbage – Added for flavor, crunch and color, this purple cabbage also provides nutrition like Vitamin A, C and E and has anti-aging properties.
• Green onion – For that hint of onion flavor, mild green onion is sliced up and added.
• Cilantro – Added for flavor, it pairs nicely with the tahini salad dressing.
• Slivered almonds – Provides crunch and complements the sesame dressing of this salad. May consider using roasted peanuts or walnuts in it’s place.
• Sesame seeds – Two kinds of sesame seeds are added to this salad for color and flavor – toasted sesame seeds and black sesame seeds.
• Chicken – It’s easiest to use grilled chicken. Grilled boneless, skinless chicken thighs has the best flavor; although, chicken breast or chicken tenders can also be used. This chicken salad recipe is a great way to use up leftover chicken. For a quick meal, pick up a rotisserie chicken from the deli and use it to make shredded chicken for your Asian sesame chicken salad.

Sesame Chicken Salad Ingredients

•  2 tablespoons rice vinegar
•  3 tablespoons tahini
•  1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
•  1 tablespoon soy sauce, tamari or liquid aminos
•  1 teaspoon brown sugar substitute
•  1/4 teaspoon salt
•  1/4 teaspoon pepper
•  4-6 cups butter lettuce
•  1 cup shredded red cabbage
•  1/4 cup chopped cilantro
•  1 green onion, sliced
•  1 tablespoon slivered almonds
•  1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
•  1/2 teaspoon black sesame seeds
•  24 oz cooked or grilled chicken

Sesame Chicken Salad Directions

• STEP
  1Whisk salad dressingIn a large bowl, add tahini, rice vinegar, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, brown sugar substitute, salt and pepper. Whisk until combined.
• STEP
  2Add salad ingredientsTo the top of the dressing, add lettuce, red cabbage, green onion, cilantro, slivered almonds, sesame seeds and chicken. Toss to evenly coat.