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Winter Fruit Salad with Udon and Chicken

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Winter Fruit Salad with Udon and Chicken is tossed in an out-of-this-world Miso Ginger Dressing. With sweet persimmons and crisp grapes, it’s a gorgeous, seasonal entrée salad!Winter Fruit Salad with Udon and Chicken with persimmon slices in a blue bowlI’m not sure who (or what, I suppose) the star is here, the grapes, the persimmons, or the dressing. I think they all have lead roles, and the noodles, lettuce and other ingredients are excellent supporting characters.

Inspiration

The inspiration for this Winter Fruit Salad started with my love of Winter Crunch Grapes.

package of winter crunch grapesI love grapes in salads, especially when they’re sweet and crisp.

What are Winter Crunch Grapes?

  • They’re a new variety of red, seedless grapes grown in Central California exclusively for Melissa’s Produce. 
  • In season from late summer through December, they’re slightly sweeter and crunchier than standard red grapes.
  • These winter grapes are as tasty on their own as they are in a festive winter fruit salad like this one.

I used Cinnamon persimmons in this salad, although Fuyus would also be fantastic.

The Cinnamon Persimmon is native to China and Japan and gets its name from the speckled flesh. Persimmons and grapesDrizzling the salad with the super delicious, tangy and sweet Miso Ginger Dressing makes all of the ingredients beyond scrumptious!

What’s in Winter Fruit Salad beyond the fresh fruit?

  • chicken
  • Udon noodles
  • almonds
  • lettuce
  • scallions
  • dried cranberries

Winter Fruit Salad with Udon and Chicken in a stainless steel bowl

What’s in the Miso Ginger Dressing?

  • Shiro miso paste
  • rice vinegar
  • sesame oil
  • grapeseed oil
  • fresh ginger
  • garlic
  • sugar and salt

It’s so good, you might just want a straw! 😉 

Winter Fruit Salad with Udon and Chicken in a blue ceramic bowlThis is a lovely winter fruit salad for the cooler months, and in the spring and summer, you can substitute with other seasonal fruits, like peaches and berries.

Here are a few more delicious persimmon recipes.

This is not a sponsored post — Melissa’s Produce sent me Winter Crunch Grapes and Cinnamon Persimmons for recipe testing, and as always all opinions are my own.

5 from 5 votes
Winter Fruit Salad with Udon and Chicken in a blue bowl with a scallion on top
Print
Winter Fruit Salad with Udon and Chicken
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 

A picturesque seasonal dish that's packed with fall fruits and a dressing that's out of this world!

Course: Salad
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: party food, fruit salads, main course salads
Servings: 6
Calories: 415 kcal
Author: Valentina K. Wein
Ingredients
For the dressing
For the salad
  • 2 cups cooked and cooled udon noodles (from about 1-ounce dry noodles - see notes)
  • 1 head washed and dried finely chopped Romaine lettuce
  • 2 to 3 Cinnamon or Fuyu persimmons, washed and dried, thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 2½ cup Christmas Crunch grapes washed and dried, and sliced in half, lengthwise
  • 2 large cooked chicken breasts, shredded (about 2 cups)
  • 4 scallions, washed and dried, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
Instructions
For the dressing

  1. Add the miso, ginger, garlic, sugar, salt and rice vinegar to a small mixing bowl and use a whisk to blend. Add the sesame and grapeseed oils, and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth. Set aside.

For the salad
  1. In a very large serving bowl, gently toss the noodles with the Romaine, grapes, persimmons, chicken, and scallions.
  2. Drizzle with the prepared dressing and gently toss again. (Using your hands is best so the noodles don't break.)
  3. Sprinkle with the cranberries and almonds and serve.
Recipe Notes

Dry Udon noodles typically come in packages with a few separated bundles, with a string around each one. Each bundle of the dry noodles is usually 1 ounce.

While I love Winter Crunch Grapes and Cinnamon Persimmons, use any varieties you enjoy.

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Comments

  5. Shihoko says

    Thank you for the fresh idea that I would not think. I would love to try Udon in my salad with Fuyugaki and graps. It is beautiful and colourful salad. When Fuyu (it means winter so it is winter fruit) is available in Australia, I would love to try the recipe:D

    Reply

    • valentina says

      Thank you Vicky! Yes, every time I use persimmons, I wonder why I don’t cook with them more often. Stay tuned for Persimmon Gingerbread (coming soon)! 🙂 Valentina

      Reply

  13. Sabrina says

    I am loving this salad as a great alternative to all of the heavy dishes we’ve been eating lately. Looks fantastic!

    Reply

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