Crispy Sesame Chicken Salad

Crispy Sesame Chicken Salad- Diced chicken tenders are tossed in a creamy sesame dressing then stuffed into lettuce cups for a delicious spin on traditional chicken salad.

January 13, 2025 by Nicole Collins

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Today, we’re making Crispy Sesame Chicken Salad!

Today’s recipe is kind of like if my fried chicken salad and creamy sesame chicken salad had a baby. And, what a delicious baby it is. We’re going to take store bought chicken tenders, toss them in a creamy sesame sauce, add in some fresh veggies, then stuff the whole situation in some leafy green lettuce cups.

How amazing does that sound?

Let’s talk chicken. We’re going to use good ol’ grocery store frozen breaded chicken for this. If you follow me on socials, you’ll know I’m obsessed with the Just Bare brand of chicken (not sponsored, but HELLO it could be!). So, I opted to use their chicken tenders for this. I’ve also used Aldi red bag chicken and Aldi blue bag tenders for this, and they all work beautifully as well. Either way, we’ll bake the chicken according to package directions, dice it into bite sized pieces, then let it cool for a couple minutes so it’s not steaming how when we toss it in our dressing.

To turn our chicken tendies into chicken salad, we’re going to make a creamy sesame dressing. We need a little mayonnaise, some sesame oil, a splash of soy sauce, some agave syrup for sweetness, and a sprinkle of ground ginger and garlic powder. We’ll mix it all together until it’s nice and smooth, and that’s really the hardest work we have to do.

To spruce up the chicken salad a bit, we’re going to add some shredded carrots and some minced green onions. I like to buy the pre-cut matchstick carrots from the grocery store then chop them into smaller bits for the salad. But, you could also buy a large carrot and shred it yourself too if your heart so desires. Do whichever is easier for you.

We’ll add the slightly cooled chicken to the bowl with the dressing and veggies, give it all a good toss, and that’s all there is to it. We want to throw this chicken salad in the fridge for about an hour so the flavors can blend together and seep into the chicken. But after that, it’s time to chow down.

I like to serve this is some bright green bibb lettuce leaves. But, it’s also incredibly delicious in some napa cabbage leaves too. Then this last part is optional, but I like to garnish with some black and white sesame seeds plus some chopped cashews for a little extra crush and pizazz. And, the end result is quite the masterpiece.

These lettuce cups flirt with that line between healthy and indulgent. The frozen chicken tenders make these feel comforting and nostalgic, while the lettuce or cabbage cups make these feel light and refreshing. It really is the most perfect balance! And because we’re using freezer chicken for this, this chicken salad is easy to whip up with no prior planning. Just keep your freezer stocked, and you’re ready to enjoy this recipe at any time.

Ok, everyone. I can’t wait to hear what you think of this new and improved chicken salad concept!

I hope you guys enjoy, and let’s eat!

Crispy Sesame Chicken Salad

Serves: 4 Print

Ingredients:

8 frozen breaded chicken tenders (I used Just Bare brand)
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
½ tsp agave syrup
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp garlic powder
½ cup shredded carrots
2 green onions, chopped (light and dark green parts only)
Bibb lettuce or napa cabbage, for serving
Sesame seeds and chopped cashews, for garnish

Directions:

Bake chicken according to package directions. When cool enough to handle, dice into bite sized pieces, and allow to cool 10-15 mins. (We need 2 cups diced chicken total.)
To a mixing bowl, add mayo, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, agave, ginger, and garlic powder. Mix well until fully combined and creamy.
Add chicken, carrots, and green onions to the dressing mix. Stir well to coat. Chill in the fridge for 1 hr.
To serve, divide chicken salad between lettuce or cabbage cups. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped cashews, if desired. Enjoy!

Recipe notes:

*If using a different brand of chicken tenders, you may need to bake a different number of tenders. The ultimate goal is 2 cups of diced chicken total.

*Instead of shredding carrots myself, I like to buy matchstick carrots from the store and give them a rough chop to make them smaller in size. It works perfectly, and it’s so easy.