Asian Crunch Salad With Crispy Chicken
Asian crunch salad is full of colorful, fresh veggies, crispy chicken, and a creamy homemade dressing. This easy recipe is gluten free and dairy free.
Looking for more salad recipes? Try my salmon Caesar salad with crispy chickpea croutons, crispy rice salad with fresh herbs, or chicken bacon ranch salad.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this crunchy Asian cabbage salad:
- Romaine lettuce
- Purple cabbage – also called red cabbage.
- Green cabbage – could also use napa cabbage.
- Carrots
- Roasted almonds
- Green onions
- Creamy Asian salad dressing – a mix of mayo, honey, rice vinegar, dijon mustard, toasted sesame oil, and salt.
Crispy Chicken
- Chicken breast – can be made either in an air fryer or in a skillet.
- Eggs – for dredging the chicken so the breadcrumbs stick.
- Panko breadcrumbs – use gluten free if needed. Aleia’s is my favorite brand for gluten free and dairy free breadcrumbs.
How to Make Asian Crunch Salad: Step By Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. The full instructions and ingredient list will be in the printable recipe card below!
1. Add the salad ingredients (minus the nuts and dressing) to a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces (chicken nugget size). Set up your dredging station. In one bowl, mix the panko bread crumbs and spices together. In the other bowl, beat the egg. Dredge each piece of chicken first in the beaten egg then in the breadcrumb mixture.
3. Preheat your air fryer to 400ºF. Once ready, arrange the breaded chicken pieces in a single layer in the tray. Spray the top of the chicken with avocado oil. Cook for 9 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through and spraying the tops of each piece with a little more oil.
4. If you don’t have an air fryer, cook the chicken in a shallow layer of avocado oil or olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until golden brown on the outside and an internal temperature of 165ºF.
5. Assemble your bowls. Toss the salad mixture with crispy chicken pieces, chopped almonds, and the dressing until mixed to your liking. Enjoy!
Helpful Tips
- To get consistent thin slices of cabbage, I recommend using a mandoline slicer over a sharp knife. Alternatively, you can use a food processor with the shredder attachment.
- You can leave out the chicken and enjoy it as a side salad instead.
Quick Tip: To make this salad faster, use leftover cooked chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken instead.
Storage
Store the crispy chicken, salad, and dressing separately in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this Asian crunch salad using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No roasted almonds? – you can also use crunchy roasted cashews or peanuts.
- Make it plant-based – used edamame beans or tofu instead of chicken.
- Make it nut free – use toasted sesame seeds or sunflower seeds instead.
- Add-ins – red bell pepper or any favorite crunchy veggies, bean sprouts, rice noodles, baked crunchy noodles, or crispy wonton strips, etc.
- Variations – use a different salad dressing such as honey ginger dressing, creamy lemon miso dressing, or spicy cashew dressing.
More Crunchy Salads
- Salmon Caesar Salad With Crispy Chickpea Croutons
- Crispy Rice Salad With Fresh Herbs
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad
- Apple Cabbage Salad
I hope you love this Asian Crunch Salad! If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment & a star rating below. Thank you!
Asian Crunch Salad With Crispy Chicken
Ingredients
Crunch Salad
- 3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 cups shredded green cabbage
- 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
- ⅓ cup roasted almonds roughly chopped
- creamy Asian salad dressing to taste
Crispy Chicken
- 1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 large egg beaten
- ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs use gluten free if needed
- 1 teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt use ½ teaspoon if using any other kind
- ½ teaspoon EACH garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- olive oil or avocado oil spray
Instructions
- Add the chopped romaine, sliced cabbage, carrots, and green onions to a large bowl. Set aside.
- Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces (chicken nugget size). Set up your dredging station. In one bowl, mix the panko bread crumbs and spices together. In the other bowl, beat the egg. Dredge each piece of chicken first in the beaten egg then in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Cook your chicken in either an air fryer or on the stove top. See directions for each below.
- Assemble your bowls. Toss the salad mixture with crispy chicken pieces, chopped almonds, and the dressing until mixed to your liking. Enjoy!
Air Fryer
- Preheat your air fryer to 400ºF.
- Arrange the breaded chicken pieces in a single layer in the tray. Spray the top of the chicken with avocado oil or olive oil. Cook for 9 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through and spraying the tops of each piece with a little more oil.
- Transfer the cooked pieces to a wire rack and continue with this process until you’ve cooked all the chicken.
Stovetop
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat with enough avocado or olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Cook the chicken in a single layer on each side until golden brown and at an internal temperature of 165ºF.