Name: Quick and Delicious Asian Chicken Cranberry Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 2 cups (roughly shredded) cooked chicken breast; 2 heaping cups shredded napa cabbage; 1 cup snow peas, sliced thin; 1/2 cup dried cranberries; 1/3 cup roughly chopped roasted cashews; 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated; 3 green onions, sliced; 3 tablespoons light soy sauce; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger; Pinch of black pepper

A Salad I Keep Coming Back To

You know those recipes that appear out of thin air (or desperate hunger) and just stick around? Well, this Quick and Delicious Asian Chicken Cranberry Salad is mine. I first cobbled it together on a muggy summer day when the fridge looked like a salad bar right before closing time—bits of roasted chicken, a splash of teriyaki in the back, and, randomly, half a bag of cranberries someone impulse-bought. Now? My mates request it for every bring-a-plate since.

Quick and Delicious Asian Chicken Cranberry Salad

Actually, it was my pre-teen who called it “that weirdly good chicken salad”—which, with tweens, means it’s gold. I love tossing this together because it’s all at once fresh, sweet, tangy, and just a bit crunchy—plus, it’s done before I can natter myself out of cooking dinner entirely.

Why You’ll Want to Make This (Again and Again)

I pull this out of my hat whenever I’m short on time but want something a bit special—especially when we’ve got leftover roast chicken haunting the fridge. My family goes bonkers for the little pops of sweet cranberry and the crispy bits of cabbage (though, my eldest supposedly ‘hates salad,’ yet somehow devours this by the bowl). The dressing? It’s got that punch of ginger and sesame I crave midweek but can never find in a store-bought bottle—plus, it all comes together way faster than reheating a frozen dinner.

The funny part? I used to panic about slicing veggies perfectly. Don’t sweat it. Roughly chopped, slightly messy—it’s salad, not surgery, right?

Here’s What Goes In (Substitutions Included!)

2 cups (roughly shredded) cooked chicken breast (store rotisserie or leftovers rule; I’ve even used poached thighs in a pinch)
2 heaping cups shredded napa cabbage (or use bagged coleslaw mix when you can’t cope with another chopping board wash-up)
1 cup snow peas, sliced thin (or just handfuls of green beans if that’s what’s lingering)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (Craisins, the tart kind, or whatever store-brand is cheapest)
1/3 cup roughly chopped roasted cashews (my gran swore by peanuts; honestly, any crunchy nut does the trick—even sesame sticks in a crisis)
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated (but honestly, I skip it if I’m out)
3 green onions, sliced (if you grab chives by mistake, it’s fine, promise)
For the Dressing:
3 tablespoons light soy sauce (if all you’ve got is regular, just ease up a smidge)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (apple cider works in a jam—though the flavor shifts a bit)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil (the toasty kind brings loads more flavor, FYI)
1 tablespoon honey (maple syrup sneaks in sometimes if the honey jar finally goes solid on me)
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (I sometimes just use a shake of the dry stuff—a little less zing, but faster)
Pinch of black pepper

How I Throw It Together (And You Should Too)

Start with a big, wide salad bowl (because no matter how I plan, everything always spills over if I use something too small… every time).
Toss together the shredded chicken, cabbage, snow peas, cranberries, cashews, carrot, and green onions. Sometimes I just use my (washed, mostly) hands. Don’t be shy—get in there.
In a mug or small bowl, whisk up the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, ginger, and black pepper. Taste it. This is where I usually sneak a spoonful and adjust things—a bit more honey if my cranberries were too tart, or even a dash more ginger if I need a kick.
Pour the dressing all over the chicken salad mix. Gently toss (or, let’s be real, use your hands again) until everything glistens. It might look a bit odd at first with those cranberries poking out, but trust me, it settles in beautifully.
Sprinkle a few extra cashews on top for the sake of drama (totally optional).
Chill for 10 minutes (if you can wait that long—sometimes I can’t), or just dive in right away.

Notes reluctantly learned, so you don’t have to

If your cabbage looks a bit limp, soak it in icy water for five minutes first. Revives it right up (only discovered this after, uh, some sad salads).
I once went heavy on the sesame oil. Tasted like a stir-fry accident. A little goes a long way, honestly.
Mix right before serving if you want max crunch; but actually, I think this tastes better the next day, after the flavors relax together.

Variations I’ve Tried—And a Flop or Two

Toss in mandarin segments for a sweet citrus vibe—especially nice in winter.
Used fried tofu cubes instead of chicken for my veggie mate. Not half bad.
Tried pomegranate seeds one time. Thought it’d be fancy, but it just got weirdly watery—probably won’t repeat that stunt!

What You’ll Need (Don’t Panic)

Big salad bowl (Mixing in a roasting pan actually works too when the fancy bowl is ‘missing.’)
Sharp knife and chopping board (or, honestly, kitchen scissors for greens if you’re feeling lazy)
Grater for carrot—skip if you only have a peeler, just do shreds
Whisk or fork for dressing—but I’ve literally stirred it with a chopstick when one went walkabout

How to Store (Maybe)

Leftovers? Toss them in an airtight container; they’ll last about 2 days in the fridge, though honestly, in my house they rarely make it through the night. If it sits with dressing too long, it gets a tad soft. Still tasty, just less crunchy.

How We Serve It (Feel Free to Go Rogue)

Most days, I heap it onto big plates and call it dinner. My husband likes his over cold vermicelli noodles—like a low-key noodle salad. Sometimes I serve it in lettuce cups for parties (shameless finger food). And occasionally, as a midnight fridge sneak, I just eat straight from the bowl with the fridge door open. No shame.

Pro Tips I Learned the Hard Way

Don’t skip tasting the dressing. I once dumped too much vinegar and ended up with what my son called ‘sour-patch salad.’ Not good.
If you dump the dressing on too far in advance, your cabbage basically melts. Crunch is king here.
Cutting cabbage too fine just makes it soggy. Bigger chunks hold up. Live and learn.

Quick Questions I Actually Get Asked (or Wish I Did)

Can I use rotisserie chicken? Oh, absolutely; it’s the laziest, best shortcut.
What if I hate cabbage? Use Romaine or that bagged mix—nobody’s grading your salad here.
Okay if my cranberries are sweetened? Yep, just maybe dial back on the honey so it’s not a sugar bomb.
How do I make it nut-free? Toasted pumpkin seeds or even crunchy noodles bring a nice crunch. My best mate is allergic, so we swap a lot.
Can I prep it ahead? Definitely; just keep the dressing separate till the last second, or your crunch dreams are dashed.
Actually, what if I don’t have a grater for the carrot? No problem! Just peel long strips or skip the carrot. I’ve done both.

And, if you wandered off somewhere in the middle of making this and came back to soggy salad—well, you’re in good company. Happens to the best of us!

Quick and Delicious Asian Chicken Cranberry Salad