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My brother Peter and I used to have a Thursday habit that quietly got out of hand. We’d get together to work on website projects, and somehow we’d always end up going out to lunch — which sounds innocent enough until you add up the time, the cost, and the Points. We finally looked at each other one Thursday and agreed: we could do better.
So Peter put his head down and started experimenting. This Asian Chicken Salad was the first thing he came up with, and it immediately became a favorite. He set out to recreate the Chinese chicken salad from one of our favorite neighborhood lunch spots, using mostly ready-to-go ingredients from Trader Joe’s. No cooking. Just chopping, tossing, and eating. He had it on the table in under 15 minutes for just 5 WW Points, and when he put it in front of me and my mom, we both reached for seconds before we’d even finished the first bowl.
It’s been a regular in our recipe rotation ever since.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- No cooking required — pure assembly, start to finish
- 15 minutes from pulling things out of the fridge to sitting down to eat
- Just 350 calories and 5 WW Points for a genuinely filling lunch
- All Trader Joe’s ingredients — broccoli slaw, bagged cabbage, rotisserie chicken, and their Asian Style Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette make this a one-stop shop
- Easy to scale — double or triple it and you’ve got lunch prepped for the week
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Shredded cabbage (1–2 cups) — the base of the salad. Pre-shredded bagged cabbage from Trader Joe’s makes this completely effortless. A coleslaw mix works just as well.
- Broccoli slaw (½ cup) — adds crunch and a slightly different texture from the cabbage. Also available pre-packaged at TJ’s. Regular shredded carrots or thinly sliced celery can sub in if you can’t find it.
- Cooked shredded chicken (3 oz) — rotisserie chicken is the easiest option and what Peter usually uses. Canned chicken works in a pinch, and leftover grilled or poached chicken breast is great here too.
- Scallion (1), thinly sliced — adds a mild oniony bite that plays nicely with the peanut dressing. Red onion works too, just use a little less.
- Fresh cilantro (2 tablespoons), chopped — bright and herby. Skip it if cilantro isn’t your thing — the salad is still delicious without it.
- Peanuts (2 teaspoons), chopped — adds crunch and a little richness. Don’t skip these; they finish the salad. Cashews are a fun swap.
- Asian Style Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette (2 tablespoons) — the Trader Joe’s bottled dressing that ties everything together. It has a kick, so if you’re spice-sensitive, Newman’s Own Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing is an excellent mild alternative with great flavor and low Points. Another option: any light sesame or ginger dressing you like.
- Salt and pepper to taste
Want to mix it up? Thinly sliced red bell pepper, sliced radishes, and drained canned mandarin oranges are all great additions. Just adjust your Points if you add the mandarin oranges.
How Many Calories and WW Points in this Easy Asian Chicken Salad?
According to our calculations, each serving of Trader Joe’s Easy Asian Chicken Salad has 350 calories and 5 WW Points.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
8 PointsPlus (Old plan)
How to Make Trader Joe’s Asian Chicken Salad
Step 1: Combine the salad base
In a large bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, broccoli slaw, scallion, and cilantro. Add the shredded chicken and toss to mix.
Step 2: Dress and finish
Drizzle the peanut vinaigrette over the salad and toss to coat everything evenly. Sprinkle the chopped peanuts on top. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 3: Serve
Eat immediately so the peanuts stay crunchy and the vegetables stay crisp.
Tips for Success
- Add the peanuts last. Toss everything else together first, then sprinkle the peanuts on top just before eating so they stay crunchy.
- Don’t overdress it. Two tablespoons of the peanut vinaigrette is enough to coat everything without drowning it. Add more dressing on the side if you want, and track accordingly.
- Use rotisserie chicken. It’s the fastest option, already seasoned, and shreds easily. Peter keeps a rotisserie chicken in the fridge on Thursdays specifically for this.
- Make it stretch. We made four full salads from one shopping trip for less than the cost of a single restaurant salad. The ingredients scale up easily.
Make-Ahead and Storing
This salad is best assembled fresh, but you can do the prep work ahead of time. Toss together the cabbage, broccoli slaw, scallion, cilantro, and chicken, and store in an airtight container or mason jars (affiliate link) in the refrigerator for up to two days. When you’re ready to eat, just add the dressing and peanuts. The vegetables will stay crisp and the peanuts won’t get soggy.
Don’t dress the salad in advance — once the vinaigrette goes on, it’s best eaten right away.
If you’ve made this Asian Peanut Chicken Salad, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Trader Joe’s Asian Chicken Salad Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 – 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1/2 cup broccoli slaw
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 ounces shredded cooked chicken
- 2 teaspoons chopped peanuts
- 2 tablespoons Asian Style Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, broccoli slaw, scallion, cilantro, chicken, and peanuts.
- Drizzle with the dressing and toss to coat.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 8 PointsPlus (Old plan) To make this salad even quick and easier, you could toss together everything except the peanuts and dressing and store the mixture in an airtight container, or mason jars, until ready to serve. Then at lunch time just toss with the dressing and sprinkle on the peanuts.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the dressing store-bought or homemade? Store-bought — specifically Trader Joe’s Asian Style Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette. It’s what makes this such a quick lunch. If you can’t get to Trader Joe’s, any light Asian-style peanut or sesame dressing will work.
What if I can’t do spicy food? The TJ’s peanut vinaigrette does have a kick. Martha’s go-to substitute is Newman’s Own Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing — it has good flavor, no heat, and is low in Points.
What is the portion size? The entire recipe is one serving. All the calories and Points listed reflect the full salad — everything in the bowl is yours.
Can I make this for more than one person? Absolutely. Just multiply the ingredients. Peter often preps enough for four at once — the salad base keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days; just wait to add the dressing and peanuts until you’re ready to eat.
Can I use a different protein? Yes. Canned tuna, shrimp, or edamame all work well here and would give you a different flavor profile. Adjust your Points for whatever protein you use.
I can’t so spicy food, but this recipe sounds great – do you have suggestions for a different dressing? Thanks!
Hi Amy, Newman’s Own Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing might work well. It’s got good flavor but isn’t spice and is low in WW Points. ~Martha
OH MY GOSH. This was so yummy and easy. Totally helped my craving for higher calorie ones at restaurants. So good!!!
You actually make it seem really easy together with your presentation however I find this
topic to be really something which I feel I might never understand.
It seems too complicated and extremely large for me.
I am looking ahead for your subsequent put up, I’ll try to get the cling of it!
Love, love, love Trader Joe’s – can’t believe I never thought of combining these ingredients before. Definitely on my list of quick and easy, take to work lunches once my office opens back up!
What is the portion size?
According to the recipe, this makes 1 serving.
Is there a recipe for the dressing or is it store bought?
It was store bought