We’re in week two of our January salad series, (did you try last week’s Garlic Chicken Cobb Salad? It’s sooooo good!) and I’ve got to say, I have a good one for you today. This is the salad that taught me to appreciate a little sweetness with my greens. Most of my life, every time I saw sweet dressing on a menu, I would ask the universe, WHY WOULD YOU PUT SUGAR ON YOUR LETTUCE?? Then I made this salad and it was a light bulb moment. Oh, because it’s delicious. That’s why.
Healthy (i.e., not smothered in delicious creamy dressings) salads can start to feel a little samey after a while, especially when we’re eating a lot of them. So it’s great to bring in different influences to mix things up. This one has an Asian flair to it, made with soy sauce, mandarin oranges, fried chow mein noodles, and a sweet dressing made with toasted sesame oil. See Also: Chicken Shawarma Salad The toasted sesame oil gives the dressing a great, deep nutty umami flavor that makes it feel so distinct from your usual simple vinaigrette. And the ginger and garlic marinated chicken paired with the crunchy chow mein noodles and the plump burst of tart sweetness from the mandarins is AMAZING. Whenever I find myself growing tired of salads, I throw this one in the rotation to get me out of my funk!
As written, this Asian Chicken Salad recipe serves 4. To change the recipe yield, hover over the number of servings in the recipe below (or click if you are on mobile) and slide the slider–see recipe notes for further instructions. Nutritional Information (salad only, no dressing) Nutritional Information (dressing, per 2-tablespoon serving) Adapted From: Iowa Girl Eats This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using them. There is absolutely no additional cost to you.
