ASIAN CHICKEN CRANBERRY SALAD

Do you love a good Asian Chicken Salad? Then you’ll love the flavors of this Asian Chicken Cranberry Salad, a delicious salad or main dish that is popular at any potluck or holiday party! Made with rotisserie chicken, cranberries, sliced almonds, and sesame sticks, the recipe is verstile in so many ways!

It’s the perfect dish to take to a party, especially if you double the recipe and serve it in a giant bowl (feeds a crowd).

The sweet and tangy dressing with a hint of sesame combined with crisp, thinly chopped cabbage, crunchy, salty sesame sticks, dried orange cranberries, chicken, toasted almonds and plenty of fresh cilantro, makes every bite sensational.

ASIAN CHICKEN CRANBERRY SALAD RECIPE
Toast almonds by laying on a paper towel and microwaving for 1 minute, turning once. Or, toast the sliced almonds under low broil for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown. You can also make your own cabbage mix with green and purple cabbage with a tiny bit of carrots.

INGREDIENTS : 

• 2 small bags of coleslaw mix (about 12 cups)
• 4 cups rotisserie chicken, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups toasted sliced almonds (or cashews)
• 1 1/2 cup dried cranberries (I used Orange Cranberries from Trader Joe’s)
• 3/4 cup red onion, finely diced
• 1 cup sesame sticks (found in the bulk aisle at grocery store – optional)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup black sesame seeds
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 4 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
• 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 Tbsp. honey or brown sugar
• 4 Tbsp. minced ginger
• 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Layer the cabbage in a large bowl with chicken, almonds (or cashews, or both), cranberries, red onion, sesame seeds, sesame sticks (optional), and fresh cilantro.
2. Combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, honey, ginger, and sesame oil in a blender. Add 3 tablespoons of water. Process until smooth.
3. Lightly pour the dressing over the salad mixture, according to how moist you like the salad. Gently toss and serve. (You may have a little dressing left over.)

Recipe Source : ASIAN CHICKEN CRANBERRY SALAD @ reluctantentertainer