A quick, easy and delicious vegan salad full of Asian flavors and the most amazing dressing! This Vegan Asian chicken salad is perfect as a meal or served as an appetiser- A great way to use up leftovers!
Thanksgiving.
You may be rolling your eyes at me thinking ‘Who does this Aussie goose think he is discussing anything remotely related to Thanksgiving?”
Well, I’ll let you know that this Aussie goose experienced an “amazing” Thanksgiving day back in 2010.
It was 7am and my friend Sophie had flown in from Hamburg, Germany for a week-long vacation in New York. We were excited to be experiencing the infamous ‘Macy’s Day Parade’ and had organised our cameras and flags to wave with the floats.
We left the room and pretty much faceplanted a barricade of people. From every corner of our eyes, we saw people congregated around Times Square and both directions in the near vicinity. We asked the person closest to us if everyone was here for the parade.
He rolled his eyes and muttered ‘tourists.’
He then informed us that “smart” people came at 6am to get a spot.
He then told us we would benefit from just watching it on TV.
Great.
We had come to Manhattan at one of the most busiest times to experience one of the most famous events and alas, we were not going to be able to achieve this. We trekked back and forth several times trying to find an opening but there was not a single gap or nook for us to squeeze into. Admitting defeat, we decided to go to a local cafe and drown our sorrows in food.
Food cures all.
The cafe was serving up Thanksgiving dishes which could be repurposed. Initially, we thought this cafe was serving up scraps or leftovers but we were informed the dishes were in two parts- A small, traditional Thanksgiving meal and the second part- Something fun and delicious using the key ingredients in the first part. We were served a small turkey, mashed potato and green bean dish and straight after, a breaded turkey salad. Both were delicious and both did an amazingly great job of hiding the cheers from outside.
…..It then clocked over the early Black Friday sales and my friend a stiletto thrown in her face- That, however, is a story for another day!
I’m teaming up with Gardein again to share some fun meat-free recipes and this one takes a festive twist. With turkey being the centre of attention for the carnivores out there, Gardein have them sorted with their delicious roast or alternatives like their turk-y cutlets. For this recipe, I used tried it with both their turk-y cutlets and also their chick’n scallopini– So my gluten-free friends would have an option too! I present- A delicious Vegan Asian Chicken (or turkey!) salad!
This quick and easy Vegan Asian ‘Chicken’ salad is delicious and has the most epic dressing ever! It’s a unique side dish to whip up for your Thanksgiving dinner (be the cool cat there, ZING!) or a meal to enjoy anytime! The combination of flavors in the dressing, along with the crushed nuts and added spices make this one epic salad. As mentioned earlier, not only is it vegan, but when you use the chick’n scallopini, it’s also completely gluten free!
HACK! For the carnivores out there, use leftover roast meat (optional breading) and it’s the perfect use of leftovers.
Make this delicious Vegan Chinese Chicken Salad and I will love you forever if you rent a penthouse suite in Manhattan this Thanksgiving.
Keep my seat warm.
If you love salad recipes, you’ll LOVE these oil-free baked veggie chips– Check out the recipe video below for a step-by-step process!
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Vegan Asian Chicken Salad
Ingredients
For the salad
- 2 x packages of Gardein's Turk-y cutlets can sub for their chick'n for gluten free
- 4 cups chopped cabbage/carrots/iceberg lettuce/greens
- 2 tablespoon slivered almonds
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Wonton skins optional
For the dressing
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 2 tablespoon natural chilli sauce
- 2 tablespoon liquid aminos
- 1 tablespoon all natural ketchup
- pinch cayenne pepper
- Dairy free milk/water to thin out
Instructions
- Prepare your Gardein turk-y cutlets as instructed. Slice into bite sized pieces and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. Using a tablespoon, add water/dairy free milk until a thick dressing is formed. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped veggies and mix well. Add half the dressing and mix through until all the veggies are coated. Add the chopped turk-y cutlets (or protein of choice) and mix until fully combined. Serve into bowls and top with extra dressing, sesame seeds and slivered almonds.
Notes
Salad keeps for 2 days.
Dressing can be kept for up to a week, refrigerated.
Copycat Subway ‘Meatball’ Marinara Sandwiches
Sweet and Spicy Vegan ‘Meatballs’
This post is sponsored by Gardein. Cheers, hugs and handshakes for supporting companies and brands which allow me to do what I’m passionate about every day and make The Big Man’s World possible.
What do you do with Thanksgiving leftovers?
Have you ever watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
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I’ve never watched the parade, always prefer to be warm and eating with family 🙂 and I love making salads with leftover turkey!
They are such a good vehicle for it!
Oh, the parade is a staple in our house every Thanksgiving morning. And here’s a little secret that I haven’t shared with anyone yet: my lifelong goal is to be the Santa at the end of the parade. Do you think you can use your connections to help make that happen? Also, food does cure all! And I’m going to drown my sorrow about not being Santa in this Asian Chicken Salad. Delicious!
Oh man, I would line up at 2am to see that……Okay maybe not 2am! Why not Hello Kitty? You’d fulfill that role better!
I like the sound of the dressing!
My firm plan for Thanksgiving in NYC is to stay away from Time Square and any store. Your poor friend! A shoe in the face is not on my NCY bucket list 😉
hahahaha hope your away from there today!
Dear Arman, this looks absolutely wonderful! The chicken looks great…I could eat this whole bowl up.
We sometimes watch the parade, but most times, I am too busy in the kitchen preparing for the company. I pull double duty on Thanksgiving because it is also my son’s birthday!
Have a wonderful day my friend, Catherine
Oh wow- What a lucky son- He’d think the entire feast is for him 😀
Hope you have a fantastic day today, Catherine!
I would love to see the Macy’s parade live some day! It’s my favorite thing to do Thanksgiving morning at home- sip coffee by the fire and count how many times a color guard girl drops her baton.
I don’t usually end up with a lot of Thanksgiving leftovers, but sandwiches and salads are the most popular in my house when I do have them.
LOL. Omg. I need to watch it now purely for that…on your new TV! 😀
I’m someone who THINKS going to the parade in person would be fun, and then I’d get there and be so annoyed by the large crowds. Actually, I never even watch the parade on TV, or if I do it’s just on in the background. Conclusion: my holiday spirit is lacking. Clearly.
Hahahaha we are on the same wavelength!
thanksgiving is not something i grew up with so i am not too crazy about the turkey. im more into sides…i have not seen the Macy’s day parade but i can image the crowd in NYC at time of the year.
It is insane but quite enjoyable! 🙂
Vegan “chicken” salad sounds fantastic. I think it would be fun to get up close and personal at the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. 🙂
Hahaha if you get a good spot, it is pretty darn awesome!
We have the parade on t.v. every year. I love a good ol’ turkey sandwich or turkey noodle soup with the leftovers. So yummy! This salad is making me drool all over my computer.
😀 I think you have to push through 30 pies today 😀
I think it was way back in 2005 or 2006 when my daughter and I caught the Macy’s Day Parade in NYC – we did get there early and were right up front next to this incredibly interesting older man who told us that he had never missed the parade in all his 89 years! Phenomenal eh?
Arman – speaking of phenomenal, this here is one phenomenal salad – and WOA, what an epic dressing indeed – BTW IMO Wonton skins are never optional 🙂
oh WOW! that is incredible- I would have enjoyed hearing that over the parade!
I wouldn’t miss the parade…on TV that is 🙂 and that dressing sounds SO good!!
hahaha AMEN! Thanks Heather!
Ohhh I love how you incorporated the Gardein turkey into an Asian-style salad. My Japanese heart is happy ;). Call me a bad American, but I’ve never watched the parade in person or on TV. Eating Thanksgiving food in a restaurant sounds like a lot better of a deal than standing outside in the cold to me haha
Hahahaa NOOOOO. My non-Japanese heart is not happy…purely because I want searing hot ramen from Shinjuku!
I love Thanksgiving leftovers to make sandwiches with. It is the only time of year I put cranberry sauce on my sammie. I love the stuff from the can that retains it’s shape. Don’t judge, it’s great. I always try to catch some of the parade. My favorite part are the musical acts that take place over the Macy’s symbol. I wouldn’t want to see it live though, cold and angry New Yorkers are not nice. This is one thing that is better on TV
Ohhh I love turkey and cranberry sandwiches- It’s one of the staple ‘sauces’ in Australia!
KETCHUP is my life. I like my food with my ketchup.
But yay for this recipe – it looks delicious, and I love seeing some green on the blog 😛 hehe <3
LOL.
EAT THIS FROM THE FRIDGE
I love when you go savory.
🙂 Thanks love!