Description
A refreshing, crunchy, and flavor-packed salad that blends tender rotisserie chicken, sweet cranberries, toasted nuts, and a tangy sesame-ginger dressing. Perfect for a quick meal, potluck, or healthy meal prep!
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 12 cups coleslaw mix (about 2 small bags)
- 4 cups rotisserie chicken, finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups toasted sliced almonds or cashews
- 1 ½ cups dried cranberries
- ¾ cup red onion, finely diced
- 1 cup sesame sticks (optional, for extra crunch)
- 1 ½ cups chopped cilantro
- 1–2 small cans mandarin oranges, drained
- ¼ cup black or white sesame seeds
Dressing
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar (regular or white)
- 4 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tbsp honey or brown sugar
- 4 tbsp minced ginger
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 3 tbsp water (to thin out the dressing as needed)
Instructions
1. Prepare the Salad
- In a large mixing bowl, add coleslaw mix, chicken, almonds (or cashews), cranberries, red onion, and sesame sticks (if using).
- Add the chopped cilantro and drained mandarin oranges.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top.
2. Make the Dressing
- In a blender, combine:
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Soy sauce
- Garlic
- Honey or brown sugar
- Minced ginger
- Toasted sesame oil
- Water (to adjust consistency)
- Blend until smooth and creamy.
3. Assemble the Salad
- Drizzle half of the dressing over the salad.
- Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
- Add more dressing as needed, based on preference.
4. Serve & Enjoy
- Serve immediately for the crunchiest texture.
- Garnish with extra cilantro and sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- For meal prep, store the dressing separately and mix before serving.
- Nut-free alternative: Swap nuts for pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
- Low-carb version: Omit cranberries and honey, and use a sugar-free sweetener.
- Make it vegetarian: Replace chicken with chickpeas or tofu.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 40mg