Crunchy Asian Chopped Salad
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Published Jun 04, 2018, Updated Aug 02, 2023
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This Asian chopped salad is loaded with fresh veggies and tossed with a creamy almond dressing. You’ll love the crunch and flavor! Dairy-free, gluten-free and low-carb.
The reason my habit of having a daily salad (#saladeveryday) is so fun and easy is because I switch things up and keep my salads exciting.
Don’t get me wrong, I definitely go in phases of loving certain salads. I was on a Cobb salad kick for a bit and now my new go-to is this Asian chopped salad. I feel like whenever I create a new salad I eat it every day for a week or two and then get the itch for change so I create another combo.
Are you a meal repeater? Or do you like to keep things fresh and new every day?
Ingredients in Crunch Asian Salad
- napa cabbage – romaine lettuce will work as well.
- purple cabbage – see my note below about all the healthy benefits.
- carrots and red bell pepper – these fresh veggies add a nice crunch to the salad.
- avocado – for some added creaminess and healthy fat.
- green onion – if you don’t have green onion, yellow or red onion are both great alternatives.
- cilantro – adding fresh cilantro to this salad gives it such great flavor.
- almonds – for some added crunch.
- chicken – some protein to make this salad even more filling.
- chili almond dressing – the real star of the show here! It’s amazingly creamy and is legit giving me life right now. I’ve been drizzling it on everything!
Notes and Substitutions
Napa cabbage: A crunchy lettuce like romaine would work as a good substitute.
Vegetarian: You can omit the chicken for a vegetarian salad and add in some chickpeas, tempeh, or tofu for added protein.
Red pepper: Not a fan of red bell peppers or don’t have any on hand? Feel free to use green or yellow instead.
Cheese: If you’re looking to add in some cheese to this salad I think feta would work well.
Dressing: I love the chili almond dressing I created for this salad but any dressing would work if you’re in a pinch. Some options: creamy balsamic dressing, cilantro lime dressing or peanut dressing.
OXO salad chopper bowl: You certainly don’t need the salad chopper but it makes this salad super easy to toss together and is probably my favorite salad accessory. 😉 So many people have told me they bought the salad chopper because I recommended it and their lives have been forever changed… just sayin’!
Benefits of Cabbage
Both napa and purple cabbage have a lot of great health benefits, but I’m going to focus on purple because that’s the real nutrition powerhouse!
Purple cabbage is:
- Packed with Vitamin C – as in, more than oranges! Vitamin C helps boost your immune system and repair tissues in your body.
- Anti-inflammatory – this means it helps fight inflammation throughout the body. Inflammation shows up in our body in so many different ways – IBS, acne, pain – the list could go on!
- Loaded with Vitamin K – helps with a variety of body functions – everything from blood clotting to bone health.
- High in antioxidants – you’ve probably heard that term but what does it mean? Have you heard of free radicals? They are the same as oxidative damage or stress in the body. Antioxidants combat those free radicals which essentially counteracts the damage happening in our bodies. Important stuff!
- On the Environmental Working Group Clean 15 list – meaning it is one of the lowest fruits and vegetables with pesticide residue. Woo!
How to Store Asian Chopped Salad
This salad stores super well!
To make it in advance: If you’re making this as a meal prep salad I recommend adding some dressing to the full batch but saving some to add just before serving as well. The cabbage doesn’t get soggy but you lose a little flavor from the dressing as it sits so I like to add a drizzle when I serve it. I also recommend adding the avocado right before serving.
To store leftovers: Store any leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
More Kale Salads to Try
- Garlicky Kale Salad
- Massaged Kale Salad
- Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad
- Sweet Potato Kale and Quinoa Salad
- Detox Salad
- Kale Salad with Peanut Dressing
- Sunflower Crunch Salad
The Most Popular Salad Recipes
- Fattoush Salad
- Easy Spinach Salad
- Classic Broccoli Salad
- Greek Salad
- Chicken Waldorf Salad
- Massaged Kale Salad
- Healthy Potato Salad
- Mediterranean Brown Rice Salad
Crunchy Asian Chopped Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups chopped/shredded napa cabbage or romaine lettuce
- 5 cups chopped/shredded purple cabbage
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 2-3 green onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped almonds
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- chili almond dressing
Instructions
- Combine ingredients: Toss cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, green onions, cilantro and shredded chicken in a large salad bowl or the salad chopper bowl.
- Add dressing: Toss with dressing to taste.
- Serve: Portion salad on a plate. Top with sliced avocado and chopped almonds.
Notes
- Napa Cabbage:Â A crunchy lettuce like romaine would work as a good substitute.
- Vegetarian:Â You can omit the chicken for a vegetarian salad and add in some chickpeas, tempeh, or tofu for added protein.
- Red pepper:Â Not a fan of red bell peppers or don’t have any on hand? Feel free to use green or yellow instead.
- Cheese: If you’re looking to add in some cheese to this salad I think feta would work well.
- Dressing: I love the chili almond dressing I created for this salad but any dressing would work if you’re in a pinch. Some options: creamy balsamic dressing, cilantro lime dressing or peanut dressing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This looks amazing! totally adding it to my meal plan for next week.
Oh Brittany- this is a keeper! I haven’t made it yet. When I go shopping, I will buy some fresh cilantro, and Napa cabbage. This bad boy is mine!!!
Thank you Brittany, for your work from which we benefit so yummm-ily!
Ahh I was thinking that dressing would be perfect for a salad with cabbage! So excited about that crunchy texture…plus this would hold up well for meal prep! (Minus the avocado).
This salad works perfect! I need to bite the bullet and get that salad chopper. I told my husband I wanted one for Mother’s Day. He got something totally different (even though this one was in the save for later section on our Amazon account)?
Is the recipe for one serving?
Looks delicious!
The salad makes a big portion and should make about 3-4 meal-sized servings. I love making it at the beginning of the week as a meal prep salad.
Hi I just made this recipe today and I can definitely recommend it to anyone. Delicious.
This was such an amazing salad and dressing recipe! All of the flavors blended together so well from the dressing and gave the perfect crunch, and was a great mix of sweet and savory, with a little kick from the chili pepper in the dressing! Will definitely be making this again, and even use it in tacos next time!
Yay!! So glad you loved this salad, Niki. Thanks so much for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it. <3
I adore this salad! I’ve made it many times, with and without chicken. Even non bird food eaters love it lol! The salad dressing is a must. Absolutely delicious!!!
Ahh yay! I’m so glad this salad has been a hit. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I appreciate it. 🙂
Yummy dressing, but the salad was too dry for me. I made it with chickpeas and tofu instead of chicken.
Sorry you thought the salad was too dry. Did you feel as though it needed more dressing?
I love this salad! Great for prepping ahead and the dressing is really good. I didn’t have the pepper for the dressing so used sriracha to taste.
Woo! Love to hear this, Rachel. Thaks for sharing the swap you made and leaving a review, I appreciate it!