Chicken Cashew Crunch Salad (Printable Version)
Tender chicken, crisp veggies, and toasted cashews tossed in a tangy Asian-inspired dressing with satisfying crunch.
# Ingredient List:
→ For the Chicken
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ For the Salad
05 - 4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
06 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
07 - 1 large carrot, julienned
08 - 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
09 - 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
10 - 1 cup snow peas, trimmed and sliced
11 - 3/4 cup roasted unsalted cashews
12 - 1/2 cup crunchy chow mein noodles (optional)
13 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
→ For the Dressing
14 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
15 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar
16 - 1 tbsp honey
17 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
18 - 1 tbsp olive oil
19 - 1 garlic clove, minced
20 - 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
21 - 1/2 tsp sriracha (optional)
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub chicken breasts with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 12–15 minutes until cooked through and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine shredded romaine lettuce, red cabbage, julienned carrot, sliced bell pepper, green onions, snow peas, and half of the cashews. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
03 - Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, olive oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and sriracha in a small bowl until smooth and well emulsified.
04 - Add the sliced chicken to the salad bowl. Drizzle dressing over the top and toss until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Top with remaining cashews, crunchy chow mein noodles if using, and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately to preserve maximum crunch and texture.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dressing clings to every surface of the vegetables and you will catch yourself licking the whisk clean before it even hits the salad.
- It walks the line between fresh and deeply satisfying, which means nobody at your table will complain about eating a salad for dinner.
- Cashews toasted just right bring a buttery richness that makes you forget this is genuinely good for you.
02 -
- Do not dress the salad until the very last second or the romaine will weep and the chow mein noodles will surrender their crunch before anyone takes a bite.
- A meat thermometer pulled at 165 degrees changed my chicken game forever, and dry overcooked chicken will drag the whole salad down no matter how good the dressing is.
03 -
- Freeze your ginger whole in a zip top bag, then grate it straight from frozen with a microplane for feathery strands that melt right into the dressing with zero waste.
- Slice the chicken on a slight diagonal and fan the pieces across the top of the salad, because we eat with our eyes first and a beautiful plate makes a Tuesday dinner feel like an occasion.