Walnut Free Asian-Style Chicken Salad with Coconut Ginger Dressing

Total time1 hr

Prep time25 min

Cook time20 min

Walnut Free Asian-Style Chicken Salad with Coconut Ginger Dressing

This vibrant, crunchy salad is the kind of dish that looks impressive but comes together with surprisingly little fuss. Ginger-poached chicken is shredded into tender strips and tossed with a colorful mix of green and red cabbage, julienned carrots, cucumber, fresh cilantro, and mint — every bite is bright, herby, and satisfying. The real star is the coconut ginger dressing, a punchy blend of coconut aminos, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, and turmeric that ties everything together with a sweet, tangy, slightly earthy kick. Many Asian-inspired salads lean on nut-based sauces or toppings that can make them off-limits for people avoiding tree nuts, but this one is completely built around nut-free ingredients without sacrificing any of that bold, complex flavor. Coconut aminos do a lot of heavy lifting here, delivering that savory depth you'd expect from a well-dressed salad without any soy or nut involvement. A finishing scatter of toasted coconut flakes adds a little texture and tropical warmth if you want it. It's the kind of weeknight meal that feels like a restaurant order — fresh, fast, and genuinely delicious.

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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 Dynamic Health Coconut Aminos Seasoning Sauce Simple Truth Organic Coconut Aminos All-Purpose Seasoning Sauce, 10 fl oz O Organics Coconut Aminos - 10 FZ BetterBody Foods Organic Coconut Aminos Soy Sauce Replacement, 16.9 fl oz (500 ml)
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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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