Asian Chicken and Orange Salad with Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing

This is a quintessential “big salad” that’s perfect for lunch or dinner. It’s loaded with flavors and textures, and will fill you up while putting a smile on your face.

But the combination of Chinese 5-Spice powder on the chicken along with the soft lettuce, crispy cabbage, and a sweet orange tossed in a soy sauce dressing just makes my plate (and palate) happy.

I really think you’re going to love this salad!

Which is, by the way, Paleo, Whole30, dairy-free, Keto, and gluten-free.

Recipe ingredients, substitutions, and tips:

Salad ingredients:

• 1 (4-5 oz.) chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons Chinese 5-Spice powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground white or black pepper
• 2 cups baby gem or romaine lettuce
• 1 ½ cups shredded white or Napa cabbage
• 1 small clementine orange, peeled, and divided into sections
• ½ cup carrot ribbons
• 2 small scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds (optional)

Dressing ingredients:

•  2 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

Substitutions:

If you don’t have a clementine orange handy, that’s fine. Any orange will be delicious in this salad. And depending on the season, you might be able to find a blood orange, which would just be a treat for your eyes too!

To make this salad vegan: Simply replace the chicken with Tofu or your favorite vegan protein! (You could even just leave out the protein altogether, but I’d recommend adding something that will help fill you up!)

Quick note: You can make this salad a couple of days ahead of time, and then just dress it before serving. That way your lunch or dinner is ready to go when you are.

How to make this cabbage, chicken, and orange salad

For the salad itself:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Fit a large, rimmed sheet pan with parchment.
• Toss the chopped chicken with olive oil, Chinese 5-Spice powder, salt, and pepper.
• Place the chicken on the prepared pan.
• Bake for 10 minutes, flip, and bake for another 3-5 minutes, or until chicken registers 165 degrees with a meat thermometer.
• Place the lettuce, cabbage, orange, carrots, scallions, and sesame seeds in a large bowl.
• Top with baked chicken.

For the dressing:

• Whisk all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
• Drizzle over the salad, and toss well to coat.

Recipes and Tips:

• Coconut aminos recipe
• Apple cider vinegar gummies recipe
• Apple Cider Vinegar and Cabbage Slaw

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