Ginger-Chicken Slaw
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Prep Time: Cook Time: Total Time: Servings:
25 mins 25 mins 50 mins 4
For a meal that’s as delicious as it is healthy, try this refreshing chicken slaw. A fragrant mixture of ginger and garlic does double duty, amping up the tangy lime dressing and flavoring the roasted chicken breasts. After shredding the chicken, you’ll combine it with crunchy cabbage and julienned carrots, then top the whole thing with a sprinkling of cooling cilantro leaves and crunchy roasted cashews.
Serve it as a light yet satisfying main course, or use it to accompany a bowl of soup or a plate of dumplings. Even better, this slaw can hang out in the fridge for a couple of days without losing its vibrancy or crunch, making for easy, effortless lunches.
Why We Love Cooking With Ginger
Spicy, punchy ginger is not only stacked in the flavor department, but it also has a host of health benefits. Widely considered a superfood, the root contains gingerol, a chemical compound with anti-inflammatory properties and immune-boosting effects; it also eases gastrointestinal distress and combats nausea, to boot.
There are so many ways to incorporate ginger into your meals, from this bright and tangy slaw to soups, stir-fries, and teas. Unpeeled, it will keep in the fridge for a few weeks. You can also stash the root in an airtight container and freeze it for up to 6 months, then grate or slice it straight from frozen as needed.
To grate ginger, we suggest using a ceramic grater for the finest results and the fewest pesky fibrous pieces.
Other Key Ingredients for Our Chicken Slaw
Garlic: Garlic and ginger are a match made in heaven, as evidenced by the tasty dressing and rub for the chicken. You'll need roughly three large or five to six medium cloves for this recipe. Use a microplane or garlic press to turn it into a paste so you don't end up with any large pieces of raw garlic in the dressing.
Chicken: Bone-in chicken breasts remain moist and juicy when roasted, making them our pick for this recipe. If boneless, skinless breasts are what you have on hand, you can use them instead, just cut the cooking time down by 5 to 10 minutes.
Cabbage: Savory cabbage is tender, milder, and sweeter than your average head of green cabbage; if you can find it, use it for this recipe. Napa cabbage would also make an excellent base for the slaw. If all you have is green cabbage, be sure to shred it as finely as possible for the best eating experience.
Carrots: A few carrots bring color and sweetness to this recipe. To julienne, cut each peeled carrot into 2- to 3-inch-long pieces, then slice each of those lengthwise into thin planks; stack the planks on top of one another and cut lengthwise once again into thin strips.
Limes: You'll need 1 teaspoon of lime zest and 3 tablespoons of lime juice for this recipe. Unless you're using organic citrus, you'll always want to scrub the exterior under hot water to remove the edible wax coating. Zest the limes first, then roll them firmly on the counter a few times before halving and juicing.
Coconut oil: Refined coconut oil has a more neutral flavor than virgin coconut oil, which is more coconutty. You can use either for this recipe, or swap in a neutral oil with a high smoke point like grapeseed or vegetable oil instead.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon grated garlic
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon grated lime zest, plus 2 tablespoons lime juice
½ teaspoon sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 small bone-in, skin-on chicken-breast halves (1 pound total)
4 cups shredded Savoy cabbage
2 cups peeled and julienned carrots
Cilantro leaves and chopped roasted cashews, for serving
Directions
Preheat oven; cook ginger and garlic:
Preheat oven to 425°F. In a small skillet, cook ginger and garlic over medium heat in oil, stirring, 1 minute.
Remove tablespoon of ginger mixture and whisk lime and sugar into rest;
Reserve 1 tablespoon mixture and transfer remainder to a bowl. Whisk in lime juice and zest and sugar. Season with salt and pepper.
Brush ginger mixture on chicken and roast:
Brush reserved ginger mixture over chicken and season with salt. Roast on a rimmed baking sheet until skin is crisp and a thermometer inserted into thickest parts (without touching bones) reads 165°F, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces (discarding skin and bones).
Toss chicken, cabbage, and carrots with dressing:
Toss chicken, cabbage, and carrots with dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, topped with cilantro and cashews.
How to Store Leftover Chicken Slaw
This slaw will keep in the refrigerator, stored in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. If you're planning to eat it throughout the week, consider waiting to add the cilantro and cashews until you're ready to eat, to preserve their freshness and crunch.
Making This Recipe Vegetarian
For a vegetarian spin on this recipe, swap in a block of extra-firm tofu for the chicken. After draining, slice tofu into 1/2-inch-thick slabs and layer between paper towels. Top with a baking sheet, then weigh down with a few heavy cans for 10 to 20 minutes to remove as much moisture as possible. Cut into bite-size pieces, toss with the ginger-garlic mixture, and roast at 400 degrees until brown and crispy, about 30 minutes.
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