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 an Asian Chicken Salad. Quinoa, with its nutty flavor and crunchy texture, is a natural addition to Asian Chicken Salad. In this easy recipe, I used quinoa to replace both the nuts and the noodles that are often included in Asian Chicken Salad.
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.
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Title
Adapted from Asian Coleslaw
Yield – 8 servings
Preparation Time – 15 minutes
Cooking Time – 15 minutes (this also requires 2 hours of refrigeration to serve it chilled)
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 tablespoons honey
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce ( I use Bragg’s Liquid Aminos to make this gf)
- 2 tablespoons apple juice (or white grape juice)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger (tip for saving money on grated ginger)
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions
- 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.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Sounds yummy! Do you add the chicken with the veggies and quinoa or marinate it with the dressing before adding it on top? Thanks!
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: http://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.
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!
I have never had TJ’s tricolor quinoa, but I will be adding it to my shopping list! Thanks for sharing!
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