I love Asian chicken Salad. It is second only to chocolate on my list of favorites. I enjoy trying new variations and often experiment with it at home. When I discovered quinoa while going through my pantry, I knew I had to try it in this salad!
Quinoa, with its nutty flavor and crunchy texture, is a natural addition to this type of salad. In this easy recipe, I used quinoa to replace both the nuts and the noodles that are often included.
I save money on quinoa by buying it from the bulk section. It is fast and easy to prepare. You cook quinoa for 10 – 15 minutes or until the germ separates from the seed. The germ has a slight curl to it, so when you remove the lid and see lots of little curlicues, don’t panic.
Asian Chicken Salad with Quinoa
Fresh and flavorful!
Servings - 8 servings
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 head of cabbage thinly sliced
- 2 cups julienned carrots
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 sweet pepper diced
- 2 cups cooked chicken diced
Dressing Ingredients
- 1/4 cup almond butter or peanut butter or sunflower seed butter
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce I use Bragg's Liquid Aminos to make this gf
- 2 Tbsp apple juice or white grape juice
- 2 Tbsp oil
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Add quinoa and water to a pot. Cook over a medium-high flame until it reaches a boil. Lower flame, cover and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes or until germ separates from the seed.
- While the quinoa is cooking, dice the vegetables and chicken.
- In a glass bowl, combine almond butter and honey. Microwave for 20 seconds to soften the almond butter. Add the vinegar, juice, oil, ginger, and garlic powder. Use a whisk to thoroughly combine the ingredients.
- In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, peppers, onions, and quinoa. Toss to thoroughly combine.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to thoroughly coat.
- Refrigerate for approximately 2 hours before serving.
kirsten says
Sounds yummy! Do you add the chicken with the veggies and quinoa or marinate it with the dressing before adding it on top? Thanks!
Alea Milham says
I rarely marinate the chciken first, but I am sure it would be delicious. Instead I usually use leftover chicken that already has some flavor. Two of my favorite chciken recipes to repurpose the chicken for Asian Chicken Salad are: Orange Sesam Chicken: https://www.5dollardinners.com/2010/12/aleas-orange-sesame-chicken-butter-tossed-asparagus.html
and Teriyaki Chicken: http://premeditatedleftovers.com/teriyaki-chicken/
Leftover chicken from Sunday dinner works well too.
Ellen says
I was excited to find this quinoa alternative to Asian coleslaw. I used Trader Joe’s organic tricolor quinoa, which improved the color and looks of the results! The flavor and texture are excellent. We enjoyed it so much the first time that I am making it to take it to a potluck tomorrow! THANK YOU!
Alea Milham says
I have never had TJ’s tricolor quinoa, but I will be adding it to my shopping list! Thanks for sharing!