Carrot Ribbon Chicken Slaw (Print View)

Tender chicken with crisp carrot ribbons and veggies in a ginger-miso dressing.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 14 oz)
02 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
03 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
04 - 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
05 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Vegetables

06 - 4 large carrots, peeled into ribbons
07 - 2 cups finely shredded red cabbage
08 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
09 - 3 scallions, thinly sliced
10 - ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
11 - ¼ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped (optional)
12 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

→ Ginger-Miso Dressing

13 - 2 tablespoons white miso paste
14 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
15 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
16 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
17 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
18 - 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
19 - 3 tablespoons neutral oil (canola or grapeseed)
20 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
21 - 1 small garlic clove, minced

# Method:

01 - Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, grated ginger, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Add chicken breasts and turn to coat thoroughly. Let marinate for 10 minutes.
02 - Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken breasts for 5 to 7 minutes per side until fully cooked. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.
03 - Using a vegetable peeler, shave the carrots into ribbons. In a large bowl, combine carrot ribbons, red cabbage, bell pepper, scallions, and cilantro leaves.
04 - Whisk together white miso paste, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey or maple syrup, fresh ginger, toasted sesame oil, neutral oil, lime juice, and minced garlic in a small bowl until smooth.
05 - Add the sliced chicken to the vegetable mixture. Pour the dressing over and toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
06 - Sprinkle with roasted peanuts and toasted sesame seeds before serving immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 35 minutes, which means you can make something this vibrant on a Tuesday night without it feeling like a project.
  • The ginger-miso dressing is the kind of thing that makes people ask for the recipe—it's tangy, umami-rich, and somehow feels fancy without requiring any special skills.
  • Everything is naturally crunchy and light, so you feel good eating it without any of the usual salad-sacrifice feeling.
02 -
  • If you oversalt the marinade, the whole dish tastes one-note and aggressive; taste the finished slaw before you serve it and adjust the dressing with a little more lime juice if needed.
  • The vegetables release water as they sit, so if you make this ahead, keep the dressing separate and add it just before serving, or the slaw becomes limp and sad instead of vibrant.
  • Don't skip the rest period for the chicken—those 5 minutes make the difference between meat that's tender and meat that's dry.
03 -
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes before using—the flavor difference is not subtle and suddenly you understand why it matters.
  • Make the dressing first and taste it while you cook the chicken, because a great dressing can rescue an okay execution while a mediocre one can't save anything.
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