A cabbage salad works especially well for lunch when it has enough structure to hold dressing, chicken, herbs, and toppings without collapsing right away.

This sesame chicken cabbage crunch salad starts with shredded green and red cabbage, then adds carrots, green onion, cilantro, red bell pepper, jalapeño, grilled sesame chicken, sesame ginger dressing, almonds, cashews, sesame seeds, and optional crispy wonton strips.

It serves 4 as a hearty main dish or 6 as a side salad. The cabbage base gives the salad crunch, while the chicken makes it feel more complete for lunch.

The best texture comes from timing: prep the vegetables evenly, dress the sturdy cabbage mixture, add the chicken, and save the crunchy toppings for close to serving when possible.

Ingredients for Sesame Chicken Cabbage Salad

This salad uses two prepared components: grilled sesame chicken and sesame ginger dressing. Keep those as their own recipes, then build the salad around them. The exact chicken marinade and dressing ingredients are not included here, so the focus stays on how to assemble the salad correctly.

For the salad base:

4 cups shredded green cabbage
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1/2 cup diced green onion
3/4 cup freshly diced cilantro
1 cup shredded carrots
1 red bell pepper, thinly julienned
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
1 batch sesame ginger dressing
Grilled sesame chicken

For serving:

1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds
1/3 cup roasted cashew halves
Sesame seeds
Extra cilantro
Extra chopped green onion
Jalapeño slices
Crispy wonton strips, optional

Bagged shredded carrots or matchstick carrots both work here. The goal is a salad that tosses easily, so thinner pieces are more useful than large chunks.

The almonds and cashews bring the main topping crunch. Sesame seeds, extra herbs, jalapeño slices, and optional wonton strips finish the salad right before serving.

Prep the Vegetables First

The vegetables are the backbone of this cabbage crunch salad, so even cutting helps the final bowl feel balanced.

Start with the shredded green cabbage and shredded red cabbage. Add them to a large bowl with the diced green onion and freshly diced cilantro.

Then add the shredded carrots, thinly julienned red bell pepper, and seeded diced jalapeño.

A practical prep order looks like this:

Shred the green cabbage.
Shred the red cabbage.
Dice the green onion.
Dice the fresh cilantro.
Add shredded or matchstick carrots.
Thinly julienne the red bell pepper.
Seed and dice the jalapeño.

The cabbage gives the salad structure. The carrots add a firmer bite, the bell pepper adds a fresh crisp layer, and the jalapeño adds a little heat without needing extra sauces.

Thin, even cuts matter because the dressing can coat everything more evenly. If the bell pepper pieces are too large or the cabbage is unevenly shredded, some bites feel heavy while others are mostly dressing.

Dress the Cabbage Mixture

Once the vegetables are in the bowl, pour the sesame ginger dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

The dressing should coat the vegetables, not drown them. Cabbage can handle dressing better than delicate greens, which is why this salad works well as a prep-ahead lunch option.

After tossing, cover the dressed salad and set it aside while the chicken bakes or grills according to the grilled sesame chicken recipe.

Keep this step simple:

Add all prepared vegetables to a large bowl.
Pour over the sesame ginger dressing.
Toss until the cabbage and vegetables are coated.
Cover and set aside while the chicken finishes.
Do not add the crunchy toppings yet.

The dressing is a component recipe, so there is no need to rebuild it here. The important part is how it is used: tossed with the sturdy cabbage base before the salad is plated.

For another cold chicken lunch idea, try this chicken salad lunch.

Add the Sesame Chicken

After the cabbage mixture is dressed and the grilled sesame chicken is ready, move the salad to a large platter. Add the chicken over the top.

This keeps the salad looking layered instead of mashed together. It also lets the chicken stay more visible as the main protein component.

Use the grilled sesame chicken prepared from its own recipe. Do not change the marinade or dressing here unless you are working from that full component recipe separately.

The salad can be served as:

4 hearty main dish servings
6 side dish servings

For lunch, the 4-serving option makes more sense because the chicken and nuts make it more filling. For a side dish, the 6-serving option works because the portions are smaller.

If you want a warm sesame-style meal another day, these sesame chicken bowls are a related option with a different format.

Add Crunch Near Serving

The toppings are best added near serving so they keep their texture.

Top the salad with toasted sliced almonds and roasted cashew halves. Add sesame seeds, extra cilantro, extra chopped green onion, and a few jalapeño slices if desired.

Crispy wonton strips can be added if using, but they should stay optional.

Good topping timing looks like this:

Add almonds close to serving.
Add cashews close to serving.
Sprinkle sesame seeds near the end.
Use extra cilantro and green onion as fresh finishing ingredients.
Add jalapeño slices if you want more heat.
Add crispy wonton strips only if using.

This is not a salad where all toppings need to be mixed in early. Nuts and wonton strips hold their crunch better when added late, especially if the salad will sit for a little while before lunch.

Make-Ahead Prep Notes

This salad can be partly prepped ahead, which is useful if you want the vegetables and dressing ready before lunch.

The vegetables can be chopped 1 to 2 days ahead. The sesame ginger dressing can also be made 1 to 2 days ahead and stored separately in the fridge.

For better texture, keep these parts separate when possible:

Chopped cabbage and vegetables
Sesame ginger dressing
Grilled sesame chicken
Toasted almonds and cashews
Sesame seeds
Extra herbs and jalapeño slices
Optional wonton strips

You do not have to separate every piece if you are serving soon, but for prep-ahead lunches, separation helps. Dressing can soften the vegetables over time, and crunchy toppings lose texture faster once they sit against dressed cabbage.

For another cold chicken meal prep idea, this chicken pasta salad keeps the same lunch-prep direction in a pasta salad format.

Vegetarian or Vegan Option

The supported vegetarian or vegan option is simple: omit the chicken or replace it with tofu or a can of rinsed and drained chickpeas.

Keep the swap limited to that. The salad already has a lot going on with cabbage, vegetables, dressing, nuts, herbs, and toppings, so it does not need a long list of protein changes.

If using chickpeas, rinse and drain them before adding. If using tofu, treat it as the chicken replacement rather than adding it as an extra topping.

How to Keep It Crunchy

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Do not freeze this salad, and do not reheat it.

To keep the texture better:

Store leftovers airtight in the fridge.
Keep crunchy toppings separate when possible.
Add almonds and cashews near serving.
Add sesame seeds, extra herbs, and jalapeño slices near serving.
Add optional wonton strips at the end.
Do not expect the salad to stay fully crisp after it has been dressed and stored.

The cabbage base holds up better than softer greens, but once dressing is added, the texture will change as it sits. That is normal for a dressed salad. If you are planning ahead, store the dressing separately until closer to serving when possible.

For more lunch planning, browse these lunch meal prep ideas.

Nutrition Per Serving

Nutrition is estimated per serving.

Each serving has about 594 calories, 34.9 grams carbohydrates, 35.9 grams protein, 36.6 grams fat, 7.1 grams fiber, and 19.2 grams sugar.

These values are a reference, not the full point of the recipe. The main value is the balance of cabbage, vegetables, sesame chicken, dressing, and toppings in a lunch salad that can be partly prepped ahead.

Common Questions

Can Sesame Chicken Cabbage Crunch Salad be made ahead?

Yes. The vegetables can be chopped 1 to 2 days ahead, and the dressing can be made 1 to 2 days ahead and stored separately in the fridge.

How long does it last in the fridge?

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

How do I keep the salad crunchy?

Keep crunchy toppings separate when possible, and add almonds, cashews, sesame seeds, herbs, jalapeño slices, and optional wonton strips near serving.

Can I make this salad without chicken?

Yes. You can omit the chicken.

Can I use tofu or chickpeas?

Yes. For a vegetarian or vegan option, replace the chicken with tofu or a can of rinsed and drained chickpeas.

Should I add nuts and wonton strips before storing?

It is better to add them near serving so they keep more crunch. Crispy wonton strips are optional.

Final Notes

Sesame Chicken Cabbage Crunch Salad works because the cabbage base is sturdy, the vegetables are cut for easy tossing, and the toppings are added with texture in mind. Keep the dressing and crunchy toppings separate when prepping ahead, add the grilled sesame chicken when ready, and store leftovers airtight for 2 to 3 days.