This Crunchy Grilled Sesame Chicken Salad is a fresh, protein-rich meal with big flavor, satisfying texture, and a bright sesame finish. Juicy grilled chicken thighs are marinated in a savory sesame mixture made with coconut aminos, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, toasted sesame oil, and a touch of honey if desired. As the chicken cooks, the marinade is reduced into a glossy sweet-and-sour glaze that adds even more flavor before serving.
The grilled sesame chicken is served over a crisp salad made with Napa cabbage, radicchio, carrots, cucumber, snow peas, bean sprouts, orange segments, fresh herbs, and toasted cashews. Everything is tossed with creamy sesame dressing for a balanced salad that is crunchy, refreshing, and hearty enough for lunch or dinner. This recipe is naturally gluten-free, Paleo-friendly, and Whole30 compatible if you omit the honey. Enjoy it on its own, or serve it with steamed jasmine rice for a more filling meal.
Ingredients You Need for the Grilled Chicken
- Chicken Thighs: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are ideal because they stay juicy, cook quickly, and absorb the sesame marinade beautifully. You can substitute chicken breast if you prefer a leaner option.
- Coconut Aminos: This gluten-free soy sauce alternative adds savory flavor and helps the chicken develop a deep color on the grill. Because it is sweeter and less salty than soy sauce, a small amount of salt is added to the marinade.
- Avocado Oil: A neutral, high-heat oil helps prevent sticking and gives the glaze a smooth, glossy finish.
- Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar balances the sweetness of the coconut aminos and honey while helping tenderize the chicken as it marinates.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: A little toasted sesame oil adds rich, nutty flavor. For the best taste, use 100% toasted sesame oil with no additives.
- Honey: Honey is optional. It adds gentle sweetness and helps the chicken caramelize on the grill. Omit it to keep the recipe Whole30 compatible.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic brings bold flavor to the marinade and pairs perfectly with sesame and ginger.
- Ginger: Fresh ginger adds warmth, brightness, and depth to the grilled chicken.
- Chile Flakes: Dried chile flakes add mild heat. You can also use sliced fresh chiles if you prefer.
Ingredients You Need for the Crunchy Salad
- Creamy Sesame Dressing: The creamy sesame dressing ties the whole salad together with a rich, nutty flavor. It works beautifully with crunchy vegetables, herbs, citrus, and grilled chicken.
- Napa Cabbage: Napa cabbage is tender, juicy, and crisp, making it an excellent base for this sesame chicken salad.
- Radicchio: Thinly sliced radicchio adds color and a pleasant bitter note that balances the sweetness of the glaze and orange segments.
- Carrot: Julienned carrot adds color, crunch, natural sweetness, and nutrition.
- Cucumber: English cucumber is refreshing and easy to julienne. Its thin skin is edible, so there is no need to peel it.
- Green Onions: Thinly sliced green onions add a mild onion flavor without overpowering the salad.
- Snow Peas: Snow peas bring extra crunch. Trim the ends and remove the thin string along the edge before adding them.
- Bean Sprouts: Bean sprouts add a juicy, crisp texture and make the salad feel even fresher.
- Cilantro: Cilantro adds brightness. If you do not enjoy cilantro, you can leave it out or use fresh basil instead.
- Mint: Fresh mint gives the salad a cooling, fragrant finish that works especially well with sesame and citrus.
- Orange Segments: Orange adds sweet-tart flavor and juicy contrast to the crunchy vegetables.
- Cashews: Toasted unsalted cashews add richness and crunch. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium-low heat or roast them in a 325F oven until golden.
Can You Make the Salad Ahead of Time?
Yes, this crunchy grilled sesame chicken salad can be prepared ahead of time, but it is best to keep the dressing separate until serving. Slice the vegetables, prepare the herbs, toast the cashews, and grill the chicken in advance. When you are ready to eat, toss the salad with the creamy sesame dressing and top it with the sliced grilled chicken.
Keeping the dressing separate helps the Napa cabbage, cucumber, snow peas, and bean sprouts maintain their crisp texture. Store the undressed salad in a sealed, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Specialty Equipment You’ll Need
You can make this recipe without special equipment, but a few tools can make prep easier and help you get the best texture and flavor.
- Salad Spinner: A salad spinner helps dry the cabbage and vegetables thoroughly so the dressing clings properly and the salad stays crisp.
- Julienne Peeler: A sharp knife works well, but a julienne peeler makes quick work of cutting carrots and cucumber into thin strips.
- Grill: A wood-fired, gas, or charcoal grill can be used for this recipe. The goal is medium-high to high heat so the chicken develops grill marks and cooks through evenly.
- Sear Grate: If using a grill setup that supports a sear grate, it can help create more defined grill marks.
- Basting Brush: A heat-safe silicone basting brush helps apply the reduced glaze evenly over the chicken.
- Microplane: A fine grater is helpful for grating garlic and ginger so they blend smoothly into the marinade.
Substitution Ideas
- Protein: Chicken thighs are juicy and forgiving, but chicken breast can be used for a leaner salad. Beef flank steak, top sirloin, Denver steak, or skirt steak can also work well with the sesame marinade.
- Vegetables: The vegetables listed create a great balance of crunch, freshness, and color. You can also try regular cabbage, purple cabbage, bok choy, red bell pepper, jicama, sugar snap peas, or fried taro root.
- Nuts: Cashews add buttery crunch, but slivered almonds are a good substitute.
- Crunchy Toppings: For extra texture, add crushed tortilla chips, fried wonton strips, or fried egg noodles if they fit your preferences.
Crunchy Grilled Sesame Chicken Salad
Ingredients
For the Grilled Chicken:
- 1.5 pounds boneless and skinless chicken thighs
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey, optional
- 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
- ¼ teaspoon dried chile flakes
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup water
For the Sesame Salad:
- ½ Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
- ½ radicchio, thinly sliced
- 1 carrot, julienned
- ½ English cucumber, julienned
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup snow peas
- ¼ cup bean sprouts
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 10 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
- 1 orange, segmented
- 1/3 cup creamy sesame dressing, plus extra to taste
- ¼ cup toasted unsalted cashews
Instructions
For the Grilled Chicken:
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In a bowl, combine the chicken thighs, coconut aminos, avocado oil, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, honey if using, garlic, ginger, chile flakes, salt, and pepper. Toss until the chicken is well coated, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
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Preheat a grill to high heat. If using a Traeger Grill, preheat to 500F, or 475F if using a sear grate. If using a gas or charcoal grill, preheat to medium-high direct heat.
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Place the chicken on the grill and cook until grill marks form, about 6 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the reserved marinade into a saucepan with ¼ cup water. Set it over medium-high heat and cook, stirring regularly, until reduced by at least half and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 6 minutes.
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Flip the chicken, brush it with the glaze, and continue cooking until the second side has grill marks and the thickest part of each thigh reaches 165F. Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
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To serve, arrange the salad on plates or a platter. Top with sliced grilled chicken and brush with more sesame glaze.
For the Sesame Salad:
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In a large bowl, combine the Napa cabbage, radicchio, carrot, cucumber, green onions, snow peas, bean sprouts, cilantro, mint, orange segments, and creamy sesame dressing. Toss well, top with toasted cashews, and serve with the grilled sesame chicken.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 23g,
Protein: 37g,
Fat: 25g,
Saturated Fat: 4g,
Sodium: 821mg,
Fiber: 4g,
Sugar: 13g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.