Citric Acid Free Asian-Style Chicken Salad with Coconut Ginger Dressing

Total time1 hr

Prep time25 min

Cook time20 min

Citric Acid Free Asian-Style Chicken Salad with Coconut Ginger Dressing

This vibrant, crunchy salad is everything you want in a warm-weather meal — tender poached chicken, a rainbow of fresh vegetables, and a dressing that somehow manages to be bright and bold without relying on anything that could trigger a citric acid sensitivity. That dressing is the real star here: coconut aminos bring a savory depth, fresh ginger adds warmth, and a small squeeze of lime juice keeps things lively while staying well within what most people avoiding citric acid can tolerate. The chicken is gently poached with ginger slices, which keeps it incredibly moist and infuses it with subtle flavor before it gets shredded into silky strips throughout the salad. Store-bought Asian-style dressings are almost universally off the table when you're watching for citric acid, since it shows up as a preservative in so many bottled sauces and condiments. Making the dressing from scratch here means you know exactly what's in every spoonful. The combination of shredded green and red cabbage, julienned carrots, cucumber, fresh cilantro, and torn mint gives you serious texture and freshness in every bite. A handful of toasted coconut flakes on top adds a little sweetness and crunch that ties the whole thing together beautifully.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the chicken

1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp salt
3 slices fresh ginger (each about ¼ inch thick)

For the salad

3 cups green cabbage, thinly shredded
1 cup red cabbage, thinly shredded
2 medium carrots, julienned or coarsely grated
1 english cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, torn

For the dressing

3 tbsp coconut aminos
Nutiva Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos Soy-Free Soy Sauce Alternative Original - 8 oz Coconut Secret Ssng Sce Orig Soy Free - 16.9 Oz Dynamic Health Coconut Aminos Seasoning Sauce Simple Truth Organic Coconut Aminos All-Purpose Seasoning Sauce, 10 fl oz O Organics Coconut Aminos - 10 FZ
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2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp honey
½ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp salt

For serving

1 tbsp toasted coconut flakes (optional)
lime wedges (optional)

Instructions

1
Place the chicken breasts in a large pot and cover with cold water by about 2 inches. Add the salt and ginger slices. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 15–18 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer at the thickest part.
2
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 10–15 minutes, until cool enough to handle. Discard the poaching liquid and ginger slices. Shred the chicken into thin strips using two forks or your fingers.

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