Do you ever buy ingredients with the intention of making a specific meal, bring them all home and then you’re not in the mood to cook or prepare the meal? You tell yourself you’ll make it the next day. Then the next day. Then the day after that. The food sits in your fridge for a few days and then you have to race against the clock to use them all up before they start to go bad. Such is the life of a busy family with a tired mama!
Last night was crunch time. I had bought a number of fresh ingredients at Trader Joe’s just before a quick 24 hour getaway to NY for a family celebration. I never ended up using the food and when we returned from our trip, I knew I had to use it or lose it within 48 hours. So I decided to whip up an Asian chicken salad.
There’s something about salads that I can’t quite put my finger on. You crave a salad, have a delicious one at a restaurant, and then when you try to make one at home, it never compares and rarely looks enticing. But I’ve been on a mission to change that. I’ve learned to love the art of salad-making and frequently use restaurant menu items or individual ingredients as my inspiration. Last week while I was at Trader Joe’s, I saw this bottle of salad dressing that really piqued my interest.
I tossed it into my cart, along with their broccoli/carrot slaw, shredded cabbage, green onions, and cilantro. I figured I’d toast up some sesame seeds, chop up some peanuts, and make a tasty shredded chicken to top it off with some good protein.
When I finally got around to making this salad, I had to really convince myself that I’d like it, even though I wasn’t in the mood for Asian chicken salad anymore, and I was exhausted. So, I got to work. After all, this food wasn’t going to prepare itself.
Asian Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 6 green onions, chopped
- 1 bag of shredded cabbage
- 1 bag of broccoli and carrot slaw
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
- 1-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon Trader Joe's 21 Season Salute
- 2 cups ramen noodles (optional)
Directions
- Step 1 Chicken Marinade:
- Step 2 Whisk together soy sauce, garlic, ginger, honey, TJ’s 21 Season Salute in a large bowl.
- Step 3 Marinate chicken for 1 hour or overnight.
- Step 4 Bake chicken at 400 degrees until cooked through.
- Step 5 Salad:
- Step 6 Toss cabbage, broccoli and carrot slaw, cilantro, green onions, peanuts, and sesame seeds in a large bowl.
- Step 7 Add 1/2 bottle of Trader Joe’s Spicy Asian Vinaigrette and coat salad.
- Step 8 Plate salad with chicken on top and serve!
First, I prepared a marinade for the boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I combined 1/2 cup of soy sauce, 2 chopped cloves of fresh garlic, 1 tablespoon of ground ginger, 2 tablespoons of honey, and about 1 tablespoon of Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute. I marinated the chicken breasts for an hour and then baked at 400 degrees until the chicken was cooked through.
Next up, I prepped the salad. I poured the broccoli and carrot slaw into a large bowl. Then I added the shredded cabbage and tossed them together for even distribution. Next, I chopped up the green onions and peanuts and added them to the greens. Using a mini food processor, I chopped up fresh cilantro and added it to the bowl. I toasted about 3 tablespoons of sesame seeds on a foil-lined baking sheet in the oven and added them to the salad. I wanted to add ramen noodles for an extra crunch, but I forgot to pick some up and didn’t have any in my pantry. I coated the salad with my new TJ’s dressing and tossed it thoroughly until it was well mixed.
Once the chicken was cooked, I sliced it into thin shreds and plated the salads with chicken on top.
I have to admit, the dressing had a bit of a kick, but gave the salad a great flavor! I will definitely be adding this salad into our weeknight rotation because it was quick and easy to assemble and serve. The longest wait is on the chicken-which is entirely optional or can be marinated overnight and cooked ahead of time and served cold-totally up to you!
Tamar Blazer is an attorney-turned-twin mom, with a passion for her family, friends, writing, good food, home decor and laughing. When she’s not lamenting on her lack of sleep, you can find her doing one of the too many projects she likes to take on, usually with a twin on either side.
