Cashew Crunch Salad With Chicken and Homemade Dressing

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This cashew crunch salad with chicken and homemade dressing is packed with so many flavors and textures. It's hands down one of our favorite salad recipes we've created! The creamy cashew dressing pairs perfectly with all of the fresh crunchy veggies and chicken.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It's an easy no cook meal with the use of a rotisserie chicken.
The salad is great for meal prep and lasts well in the fridge.
It's highly customizable to whatever fresh veggies you have on hand.
The dressing is delicious—it's at the top of our list of favorite salad dressings!

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients shot for cashew crunch salad

For the salad

Shredded cabbage - you can purchase a bag of pre shredded cabbage to simplify or use a head of cabbage. We like to buy a bagged cabbage with a mix of green cabbage and purple cabbage. For best results, make sure the cabbage is shredded into fine shreds.
Shredded carrots
Green onion
Shredded chicken - rotisserie chicken works great here! Any shredded or grilled chicken will work. You could also swap it for shrimp, steak, or tofu.
Cilantro
Roasted salted cashews - you can buy cashew pieces or whole cashews, either will work here. If you buy whole cashews, just give them a quick chop.
Mango

For the cashew dressing

Roasted salted cashews
Fresh cilantro leaves
Minced garlic
Minced ginger
Kosher salt
Sriracha or red pepper flakes - feel free to adjust according to your taste preference
Sesame oil - the sesame oil makes it a creamy sesame dressing.
Rice wine vinegar
Pure maple syrup
Lime juice
Water

See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.

Equipment You’ll Need

Cutting board and knife
Grater
High powered blender or food processor*
Measuring cups and spoons
Large bowl

Step by Step Directions

For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Overhead shot of cashew crunch salad with dressing

Begin by preparing all of the salad ingredients. Shred the cabbage and carrots, chop the green onion, chicken, and cashews, mince the cilantro, and dice the mango. Add all of the ingredients to a large salad bowl.

Next, prepare your dressing. You will need a high powered blender or food processor in order to blend the cashews well and create a creamy dressing. Add all of the dressing ingredients to the blender and blend for at least 30 seconds, until the cashews are blended and smooth.

If you plan to have leftovers, dress each individual portion to prevent the leftovers from getting soggy. Serve with crunchy chow mein noodles or crispy wonton strips for an extra crunch!

Tips & Variations

Feel free to add any other ingredients like bell peppers, edamame, or sesame seeds.

FAQ

How should I store leftovers?

If you plan to have leftovers, dress each individual portion to prevent the leftovers from getting soggy. Store the leftover salad and dressing separate in an airtight container. Add the crunchy chow mein noodles just before serving.

Is it (GF/DF/V/VG)?

This recipe is gluten-free if you leave off the crunchy chow mein noodles or wonton strips. This recipe is dairy free. For a vegan and vegetarian version, swap the chicken for crispy tofu or steamed edamame.

If you like this recipe, check out a few of our other salad recipes:

If you make this cashew crunch salad, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!