Asian Cashew Salad with Grilled Sesame Garlic Chicken
This Asian cashew salad with grilled sesame garlic chicken is fresh and full of flavor. Both the salad and grilled chicken could independently astound the taste buds on their own, but when they are combined together. Wow. Just wow.
Ingredients
For Chicken:
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sweet Thai Chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced thin
For Dressing:
- ⅔ cup rice vinegar
- ⅔ cup avocado oil
- ⅔ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
For Salad:
- 4 cups finely chopped napa cabbage about 1/2 large head
- 4 cups roughly chopped romaine lettuce about 1/2 large head
- 2 large carrots cut into matchsticks, see note
- 1 English cucumber cut into matchsticks
- ¼ to ½ cup finely chopped cilantro about 1/2 bunch or to taste
- 3 finely chopped green onions
- ¾ cup roasted cashews
Instructions
For chicken:
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In a small bowl add sesame oil, olive oil, sweet Thai chili sauce, pepper, salt, minced garlic, sugar, fish sauce, and basil and whisk to combine.
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Place chicken in large ziplock bag, pour marinade over chicken, and seal bag. Place bag in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight (up to 24 hours).
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To Grill: Preheat grill to medium or medium high. Arrange chicken on grill in a single layer and cook for about 5-6 minutes per side or until lightly browned and instant read thermometer registers 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the breast.
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To Broil: Preheat broiler to high. Adjust rack so chicken will be about 4 to 5 inches from the broiler. Arrange chicken on a broiler pan in a single layer and cook for about 5-6 minutes per side or until lightly browned and instant read thermometer registers 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the breast.
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Remove the chicken from the heat and tent with foil for 5-10 minutes before slicing into ½-inch strips.
For Dressing:
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Combine rice vinegar, avocado oil, honey, salt, and sesame oil in a blender jar. Blend well. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Can be made up to a week in advance.
For Salad:
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Combine chopped napa cabbage, romaine lettuce, sliced carrots, English cucumber, cilantro, and chopped green onions in large bowl. Toss well.
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Before serving top with roasted cashews and sliced chicken. Add half the dressing. Taste and add more, if needed. See note for make ahead instructions.
Recipe Notes
1. I usually buy larger, thicker boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cut them through the thickness to make them thinner so they absorb more marinade and cook quicker. The chicken is more flavorful if left in the marinade overnight, but I've also made a faster version with leaving it in for 30-60 minutes and it's still very tasty and a good option to take if you are in a hurry.
2. Fish sauce is an essential ingredient. I understand if you're nervous about it. It kinda scared me at first, but it's not "fishy" if you use a good brand. I would go to the Asian food market for the fish sauce rather than the grocery store. The only brand of fish sauce I have used is the Tiparos brand. One bottle lasts a really long time. I noticed that it has not been sold in the US for a while so I don't know if you'll be able to find it. So I would look for a Thai style fish sauce, maybe something like this lucky brand sold on Amazon.
3. I'm sure you could leave out the sweet Thai chili sauce if you didn't have it. You could also substitute it for something like sriracha sauce if you like a little more heat. I use the full circle brand of organic sweet Thai chili sauce, but I'm sure there are a lot of options that would work great.
4. For the matchstick carrots and cucumbers I use this Titan Julianne tool that I bought years ago and love. It works great for cutting vegetables into matchsticks. I normally leave out the seeded part of the cucumber and just slice right up to it.
5. If anticipating leftovers or to make salad ahead, make sure all the salad ingredients are completely dry before adding to bowl. Salad will keep well in refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Leave off roasted cashews, grilled chicken, and dressing and store separately. Add to bowl directly before serving or place on individual serving plates.