Hi everyone!
I am so excited to share today’s recipe. It is the perfect recipe to kick off the summer. I made this last night for dinner and it was the perfect healthy, veggie packed, refreshing, and also filling summer supper!
Gochujang Chicken Crunch Salad
A salad packed with raw crunchy veggies, shredded chicken, and tossed in the most amazing dressing.
The key ingredient here is Gochujang paste. Gochujang is a Korean fermented red chile paste. It used to be hard to find but has now grown in popularity. I’ve seen it sold in all main grocery stores in the asian food isle. Some brands of gochujang are superior/packed with more flavor than others. This one pictured is one of the better quality ones I’ve found! It is super spicy and has a delicious umami savory flavor due to it being a fermented product. It will kick up the flavor in any stir fry’s you may make, and also makes a delicious dip for french fries mixed with some mayo.
For the veggies I used cabbage, snap peas, zucchini, bell pepper, and scallions. Feel free to use any combination of raw veggies you would like. You can make this easier on yourself and buy some cole slaw mix and zucchini noodles from the grocery store!
The dressing is a mix of the following: gochujang, tahini, rice vinegar, honey, fish sauce, chili crisp, lime juice, salt and pepper. The tahini adds a nice creaminess and slight sesame flavor.
All mixed together! You can get creative with the toppings. I like to top mine with some avocado, pickled ginger, and toasted sesame seeds. Kimchi would be a fun topping! Or for some added crunch some peanuts, cashews, or roasted almonds!
Gochujang Chicken Crunch Salad
Makes about 8 cups
Ingredients:
- 1 very small head of cabbage, thinly sliced. (should yield about 3 cups sliced)
- 3 cups snap peas, thinly sliced
- 1 bell pepper, julienned
- 1 small zucchini, julienned (or sub pre-made zoodles, about 2 cups)
- 3 scallions, chopped
- 8oz shredded chicken (about 2.5 cups)
- 2-3 tbsp gochujang paste
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- ⅓ cup tahini
- 1 tbsp chili crisp
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- Juice of 1 lime
- Salt and pepper
Instructions:
- Whisk together dressing: in a bowl mix gochujang paste, rice vinegar, honey, tahini, chili crisp, fish sauce, lime juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add about ⅓ cup water to thin it out a bit and taste for seasoning.
- In a large bowl add remaining ingredients and toss with the dressing to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature. Top with desired toppings: more scallions, sesame seeds, pickled ginger, avocado, etc.
I can’t wait to have the leftovers for lunch!
Have a great weekend everyone!
XOXO Chef Chelc
