Edamame Crunch Chicken Salad (Printer-friendly)

Vibrant salad with shredded chicken, crisp vegetables, and edamame in zesty ginger dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast (about 2 small breasts)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup shelled edamame (cooked and cooled)
03 - 2 cups shredded green cabbage
04 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
05 - 1 cup shredded carrots
06 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
07 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

→ Crunch & Garnish

08 - 1/2 cup roasted cashews or sliced almonds (optional)
09 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

→ Ginger Dressing

10 - 1/4 cup rice vinegar
11 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
12 - 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
13 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
14 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
15 - 1 garlic clove, minced
16 - 1 tablespoon lime juice
17 - 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili sauce (optional)
18 - Salt and pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, lime juice, and sriracha if using. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside to allow flavors to meld.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine shredded chicken, edamame, green and red cabbage, carrots, green onions, and red bell pepper. Toss gently to distribute ingredients evenly.
03 - Pour the prepared ginger dressing over the salad mixture. Toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly with the dressing.
04 - Sprinkle roasted cashews or almonds and toasted sesame seeds over the top of the dressed salad.
05 - Serve immediately for the crispest texture, or refrigerate for 15 minutes to allow flavors to develop further.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The dressing hits every single flavor note sweet, tangy, savory, and just enough heat to make things interesting
  • You can prep all the vegetables ahead of time and throw it together when hunger strikes
02 -
  • This salad tastes even better after sitting for fifteen minutes, but do not let it go longer than an hour or the cabbage starts to lose its crispness
  • The dressing will seem thin at first, but salt in the soy sauce and vegetables will help it cling to everything as it sits
03 -
  • Use a vegetable peeler to shave the carrots into ribbons instead of grating them for a more elegant texture
  • Let the chicken cool completely before tossing it with the vegetables so it does not wilt the crisp cabbage
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