Asian Grilled Chicken Salad – Whole30, Paleo
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This Asian inspired Grilled Chicken Salad is drizzled with a creamy delicious almond butter dressing. It has all the best sweet and spicy flavors, and it’s Paleo and Whole30 compatible!
This recipe was written in partnership with Zespri Sungold Kiwi.
Why it Works
If you know me you know I loooove sweet and spicy more than almost anything (just check out my Blackened Flounder with Pineapple Salsa)! Do you love the heat and sweet combo too?
Then you need to make this super fresh & crunchy Asian inspired grilled chicken salad! It’s a Whole30 and Paleo compatible version of the well known recipe, inspired by the famous faux Chinese dish.
This salad is filled to the brim with fresh crunchy vegetables and topped with marinated grilled chicken, golden kiwi and mandarins for some juicy sweetness, diced jalapeño for a little heat, and a creamy, nutty almond butter dressing to tie it all together.
I’m telling you, whenever we make this, it’s nearly impossible not to lick the dish afterward!
Recipe Ingredients
The ingredients list might look a little long, but everything is easy to find at your local grocery stores. I got everything at my neighborhood Walmart!
Salad Ingredients
- Produce: Napa Cabbage, Purple Cabbage, Carrots, Snow Peas, Jalapeño. If you prefer a less cruciferous version of this salad, swap romaine lettuce for some or all of the cabbage.
- Pantry: Mandarins, Almonds, Black sesame seeds.
Marinated Chicken Ingredients
- Protein: Chicken breasts.
- Pantry: Sesame oil, coconut aminos.
- Produce: Garlic, ginger, lime zest.
Almond Butter Dressing Ingredients
- Pantry: Almond butter, sesame oil, coconut aminos.
- Produce: Garlic, ginger, dates, juice of an orange.
Step by Step Instructions
I’m walking you through the super simple steps to make this fantastic recipe at home! You’ll make tender, marinated grilled chicken, plenty of crunchy vegetables, and a creamy almond butter dressing to tie it all together. It’s a complete meal is one dish!
Make the Chicken
First things first – You need to get your chicken marinating. While regular grilled chicken is pretty boring, marinated chicken is extra tender and super flavorful (which is why I have so many healthy chicken marinade recipes).
Make the marinade by mixing all the ingredients together. Pour it over the chicken in a shallow dish, turning the chicken so it’s coated on all sides. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes, then grill over medium heat. Once it’s cooled, dice it into small pieces, the perfect size for a bite when you dig into the salad!
Make the Almond Butter Salad Dressing
This dressing is creamy, sweet, and nutty, with just a hint of heat. The taste and texture is very similar to a peanut dressing, which you might’ve had before, except it’s made with almond butter so it’s totally Paleo and Whole30 compatible!
To make the dressing, add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender. Pulse to break down the ginger and garlic, then turn to medium-high and blend until smooth.
And if you don’t like any heat in the salad dressing, just omit the red pepper!
Assemble & Serve
While the chicken is marinating and cooking, I like to work on prepping the salad ingredients. What does that entail? Nothing that requires too much skill, but it does require a TON of washing, chopping, dicing, and slicing. Here’s what you need:
While the chicken is marinating, you have plenty of time to wash and prepare the salad ingredients. Thinly slice the Napa cabbage and purple cabbage, slice the snow peas, green onion, and kiwis, and mince the jalapeno.
Add all the ingredients to a large bowl and toss with the salad dressing. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve! Don’t forget a sweet treat like chocolate boba tea!
Related Recipes
- Orange Sesame Chicken & Broccoli
- Butter Chicken Meal Prep
- Egg Roll in a Bowl Skillet
- Grilled Chicken, Bacon & Avocado Salad
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Asian Inspired Grilled Chicken Salad with Almond Butter Dressing
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded napa cabbage
- 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
- 1 cup shredded or matchstick carrots
- ½ cup mandarin oranges
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- 4 golden kiwi
- ¼ cup snap peas sliced
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
- 1 Tablespoon minced jalapano optional
- 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
Marinated Grilled Chicken
- 2 lb. chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon lime zest
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 4 Tablespoons coconut aminos
- Pinch salt and pepper
Almond Butter Salad Dressing
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 4 Tablespoon orange juice
- 1.5 teaspoon Sesame oil
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 3-4 Tablespoon coconut aminos
- 1-2 dates
- Pinch crushed red pepper
Instructions
Make the Chicken
- Make the marinade by mixing together all the ingredients in a small dish. Set the chicken in a shallow dish or ziplock bag and pour the mixture over the chicken, turning so each piece of chicken is coated in the marinade. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes.In a skillet or on the grill, cook the chicken over medium-high heat for about 6 minutes per side. Allow it to rest for about 5 minutes, then cut into bite sized pieces.
Make the Almond Butter Salad Dressing
- Meanwhile, add all the salad dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor. Pulse to break down the garlic and ginger, then turn to medium-high speed and blend until smooth.
Prep the Salad Ingredients
- Prep all the salad ingredients. Thinly slice the cabbage, slice the green onions, mince the jalapeno, and dice the peas.
Assemble & Serve
- Add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl and drizzle with the dressing. Toss together to mix, and serve on plates!
