Are your summer salads stuck in a rut? Need to find some inspiration for meal prep? Maybe you’re a fellow RVer who’s looking for the perfect make-ahead meal that packs a lot of flavors but is great for travel days, adventure days, or days when you just don’t want to cook? Or maybe you’re a weekend warrior looking for something to make in advance so you don’t have to take your limited camping time for cooking? If you resemble any of these things, look no further, this is the best brown rice salad I’ve ever eaten!

This quick and easy recipe comes together fast! I allotted 20 minutes for prep time, but I don’t really think it took me that long. You can make it easier by using pre-cooked brown rice as I did.  You might even opt to swap out the Napa cabbage for a bag of pre-shredded angel hair coleslaw mix. The ginger sesame dressing comes together in just a couple of minutes. If you’re not planning to eat the salad on the same day, you can eliminate the resting time of the vegetables marinating.

Don’t be surprised if the salad has a lot of liquid when you dish it up. This is a function of the vegetables giving up some of their liquid. I promise you, it won’t taste watered down at all. In fact, you’ll likely enjoy the combination of sweet, salty, and umami that this dish provides.

I’ve offered some suggestions in the notes below the recipe for how to adapt this Asian-style chicken and brown rice salad bowl recipe for vegetarians and/or for those who are gluten intolerant. You can certainly add additional vegetables when you are serving. I think this Chinese chicken and rice salad would also taste great served on a bed or fresh arugula or spinach.

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Asian Style Brown Rice Salad

If you're looking for the best Asian brown rice salad recipe for this summer's picnic or adventure day, look no further! This is it!

• Large Mixing Bowl
• Microplane Zester
• Box Grater
• Large Spoon or Spatula for Mixing

Dressing

• 1 piece Ginger (fresh, 2-inches, peeled and grated)
• 1/3 cup Olive Oil (extra virgin)
• 1/2 cup Rice Vinegar (unseasoned)
• 1/4 cup Toasted Sesame Oil
• 3 tbsp Honey
• 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp Sambal Oelek (optional)

Vegetables

• 6 ounces Shiitake Mushrooms (sliced thin)
• 2 each Carrots (grated on box grater (about 1 cup))
• 1/4 head Napa Cabbage (sliced very fine and chopped (about 3 cups))
• 6-8 each Green Onions (sliced white and pale green parts)

Assembly

• 2 Chicken Breasts (cooked rotisserie or poached, sliced thin)
• 16-18 ounces Brown Rice (cooked, grains separated)
• 1/2 cup Slivered Almonds

Garnish

• 1/4 cup Cilantro (fresh chopped (optional))

1. Prepare the dressing by mixing all dressing ingredients together.

2. Add vegetables to the dressing and allow them to sit at room temperature for one hour.

3. Add chicken, rice, and almonds to the marinated vegetables.

4. Serve garnished with chopped fresh cilantro if using.

This easy recipe for Asian chicken and brown salad comes together quickly and packs a lot of flavor into a single bowl!  

Adapt this recipe for vegetarians by omitting the chicken.  I might suggest substituting some additional vegetables, including some shelled edamame, for a little protein. 

You can make this recipe gluten-free by substituting liquid aminos for soy sauce and substituting 1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar for the rice vinegar (you may want to increase the amount of honey as the cider vinegar is much stronger). 

I’ll definitely make this recipe again this summer and will consider adding some sliced red pepper for a little punch of color and flavor.

Dinner, Lunch

Asian, Chinese

asian rice salad, chicken and rice salad, cold brown rice and chicken salad, make ahead meal, picnic food