Asian Chicken Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
Posted: 03/11/2013
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Quick and easy meals don’t have to come out of a box. This delicious Asian chicken salad can be on the table in minutes.
You guys! Let’s talk.
Quick meals do not have to come out of a box.
Quick meals do not have to be laden with fat and sodium.
Quick meals do not have to be covered in cheese to make them taste good.
Quick meals do not have to consist of mushy, grey substances.
Quick meals can be colorful. Crunchy. Flavorful. Full of nutrients. Refreshing. Interesting.
Cilantro. Lime. Red bell peppers. Scallions. Peanuts.
This salad is not lacking in the flavor department.
You could make this salad even better for you, and lower in sodium by cooking your own chicken or making your own rotisserie chicken. A grocery store rotisserie chicken is super convenient though. Easy peasy! Or add this yummy Instant Pot Honey Sriracha Chicken to the salad and skip the dressing.
If you are looking for r-e-a-l-l-y easy, use prepared bags of salad mix. Buy one bag of coleslaw mix and one bag of romaine.
Add more veggies. Sugar snap peas would be so good!
I love the homemade cilantro lime dressing in this Asian salad. Isn’t it a beautiful color? Don’t like cilantro? Substitute parsley.
If you’re not crazy about peanuts, cashews would be so good, too. Or leave the nuts off and substitute crispy wonton strips or crispy roasted chickpeas.
Have a toddler? So do I! Make separate piles of the chicken and each vegetable on their plate with a little container of dressing for dipping. They’ll love it!
I apologize for these photos. They are blurry because in order to get enough light in Michigan, I have to go outside. And you know what, it’s kinda cold outside in the middle of winter in MI. I was probably shivering. Makes it hard to steady a camera. Bear with me — at the time I was too cheap to buy a tripod.
Update: Thank goodness, I now have a nice warm studio inside! Maybe someday I’ll update the blurry photos.
More great salads that totally count as a meal:
- Cabbage Salad with Honey Lime Dressing
- Southwestern BBQ Chicken Salad (best chopped salad!)
- Shrimp Salad with Mango and Avocado
- Steak Salad with Orange-Honey Dressing
- Farro Salad with Butternut Squash and Bacon
- Thai Freekeh Salad with Peanut Ginger Dressing
- Zucchini Noodle Mason Jar Salad with Farro and Mozzarella
- Farro Salad with Chicken and Beets
- Crunchy Kale Salad with Popcorn Shrimp
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
main dish servings
Quick and easy meals don’t have to come out of a box. This delicious salad can be on the table in minutes.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2 cups loosely packed fresh cilantro (leaves and soft stems)
- ½ cup fresh lime juice (2-3 limes)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Salad
- 1 store-bought rotisserie chicken or about 4 cups of shredded chicken
- ¼ medium red cabbage, shredded (or buy the pre-shredded stuff to save time!)
- 1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green)
- 1 medium carrot, shredded or julienned
- 1 large head of red romaine lettuce torn into pieces
- ½ cup lightly salted peanuts
Instructions
- In a blender or using hand blender, blend cilantro, lime juice, sugar and vegetable oil until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper and more sugar if needed.
- In a large bowl, or on individual plates/bowls, layer the lettuce, cabbage, chicken, and vegetables.
- Top with peanuts and serve with dressing.
Notes
- You may also toss the romaine with half of the dressing before serving, and then layer vegetables/chicken on and serve with remaining dressing.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1g, Calories: 436kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 41g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g, Cholesterol: 115mg, Sodium: 358mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Jess says
This sounds delicious!!
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Alaina @ Fabtastic Eats says
Your pictures are pretty! Thanks for a great salad..sometimes they can be so boring! I love this! I try to roast a chicken every Sunday so that I have chicken to throw into salads or sandwiches throughout the week! This salad sounds so flavorful!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
That’s a gorgeous salad!