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.
Alea's Asian Chicken Salad with Quinoa
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
Instructions
- 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 Braggs Liquid Aminos to make this gf)
- 2 tablespoons apple juice (or white grape juice)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
kirsten says
Sounds yummy! Do you add the chicken with the veggies and quinoa or marinate it with the dressing before adding it on top? Thanks!
Alea Milham says
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: https://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.
Ellen says
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!
Alea Milham says
I have never had TJ’s tricolor quinoa, but I will be adding it to my shopping list! Thanks for sharing!