Crunchy Chinese Chicken Salad

Crunchy Chinese Chicken Salad

Seed-oil free • Whole-food based • Satisfying without heaviness

This Chinese chicken salad is crunchy, savory, lightly sweet, and deeply satisfying — the kind of meal that actually holds you over and helps quiet food noise. It’s made without seed oils, refined sugar, or sharp vinegar, letting real food flavors do the work.

Perfect for meal prep, gatherings, or anytime you want a nourishing bowl that feels abundant instead of restrictive.

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Serves: 6 generous main-meal servings

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Ingredients

Chicken

   •   1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast

   •   1 tsp salt

   •   2 garlic cloves, smashed

   •   Fresh ginger slices (optional)

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Salad Base

   •   4 cups shredded purple cabbage

   •   2 medium carrots, shredded or julienned

   •   1–1½ cups broccoli slaw

   •   ¾–1 cup shelled edamame, cooked and cooled

   •   ½ cup sliced water chestnuts

(Apple, green onions, and pumpkin seeds will be added fresh as garnish each day — see Meal Prep Tip below.)

Optional add-ins:

   •   Red bell pepper or cucumber slices for extra color and crunch (best added just before serving)

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Creamy Peanut Apple Dressing

Blend until completely smooth:

   •   ⅓ cup peanuts (dry roasted or raw)

   •   ½ apple

   •   3–4 tbsp coconut aminos or soy sauce

   •   1 clove garlic

   •   1–2 tsp fresh ginger

   •   ¼–½ cup warm water, to thin

Taste and adjust saltiness with a little more aminos if needed.

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Garnish (Add fresh daily)

   •   ¼ cup green onions, sliced

   •   ¼ cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas), dry-toast if desired

   •   ½ small apple, diced

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How to Cook the Chicken (Juicy + Simple)

Gentle poach method (best for this salad):

1. Place chicken in a pot in a single layer

2. Add water to just cover the chicken

3. Add salt, garlic, and ginger

4. Bring to a gentle simmer (not a boil)

5. Cover, turn off heat, and let sit 15–18 minutes

6. Remove chicken, rest 10 minutes, then shred with forks or by hand

Shredded chicken coats beautifully with the dressing and stretches evenly across all servings.

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Assembly

1. In a large bowl, combine cabbage, carrots, broccoli slaw, edamame, water chestnuts, and shredded chicken

2. Pour dressing gradually and toss until evenly coated

3. At serving time, top each portion with fresh green onions, pumpkin seeds, and diced apple

Let sit 5 minutes before eating so flavors come together.

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Meal Prep Tip

For a week of lunches:

   •   Prep the base salad and shredded chicken ahead of time

   •   Store in the fridge, lightly dressed or undressed

   •   Each day, add the apple, green onions, and pumpkin seeds as a garnish

This keeps your salad crunchy, fresh, and vibrant all week.

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How to Serve It

   •   By itself (recommended): Balanced, filling, and blood-sugar supportive

   •   Over leafy greens: Adds volume and freshness

   •   Over rice (optional): Serve with ½ cup cooked jasmine or basmati rice for higher energy needs

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Estimated Macros (per serving, salad only)

These are approximate and meant as a general guide.

   •   Calories: ~320–360

   •   Protein: ~28–32g

   •   Carbohydrates: ~22–26g

   •   Fat: ~12–15g

   •   Fiber: ~7–9g

Adding ½ cup cooked rice increases carbohydrates by ~22–24g.

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A Gentle Note on Macros

Macros can be helpful information — but they’re not the goal.

This meal works because it’s built from protein, fiber, and real ingredients that naturally support fullness and steady energy. When meals are structured well, the body often regulates itself without constant tracking.

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Why This Salad Works

   •   High protein supports satiety and nervous system regulation

   •   Crunchy vegetables provide sensory satisfaction

   •   Natural sweetness from apple — no added sugar

   •   No seed oils or inflammatory fillers

This is the kind of meal that helps people stop grazing, stop chasing cravings, and start trusting real food again.