Basil Cashew Chicken Salad

Basil Cashew Chicken Salad

A few years ago, when I worked for a telecommunications company located just outside of College Park, I really loved to grab lunch at a little place called Roly Poly. This will sound way cheesy, but it was there that I fell in love with the #30 (also known as their Basil Cashew Chicken salad cold rolled sandwich).

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Basil Cashew Chicken Salad

Their Basil Cashew Chicken salad sandwich is described on their menu with the following: Fresh basil chicken salad, cashews, spicy Thai sauce, leaf lettuce, plum tomatoes, avocado, alfalfa sprouts

Unfortunately, this Roly Poly location has since closed it’s doors and unless I drive about an hour away to Clearwater, there’s now way for me to get it now 🙁 

Ever since I heard this news, I obviously craved the sandwich more often. And I’ve tried many times to duplicate the recipe over the years.

The only part I haven’t gotten quite right is the spicy Thai sauce, but it tastes really good and reminds me of why I loved going to Roly Poly’s for lunch.

Best of all, I can have it whenever I want and make a batch that lasts a couple days in the refrigerator (the avocado may turn color, but it truly tastes the same if you eat it within that time).

Basil Cashew Chicken Salad

Ingredients for Basil Cashew Chicken Salad

Basil Cashew Chicken Salad

Basil Cashew Chicken Salad

Basil Cashew Chicken Salad

Basil Cashew Chicken Salad

Prep Time 10 mins
Total Time 10 mins
Course Main Dish, Salads, Snacks
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup cooked chicken breast in strips or cubed works best
  • .5 cup tomato diced
  • .75 cup lettuce roughly chopped
  • .5 cup avocado diced
  • .25 cup red bell pepper diced
  • .5 cup alfalfa sprouts
  • .5 cup basil leaves
  • .5 cup cashews chopped

for the spicy Thai sauce

  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp Frank's Red Hot Original Sauce
  • 1 tsp sweet red chili sauce
  • cayenne pepper, ground to taste

Instructions
 

  • Prep ingredients.
  • In a medium bowl, combine all main ingredients.
  • Add spicy Thai sauce and toss ingredients until combined.
  • Serve in a tortilla, flatbread, or pita. Enjoy!

for spicy Thai sauce

  • Combine mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and Frank's Red Hot sauce.
  • Add cayenne pepper to taste.

I really hope you enjoy this Basil Cashew Chicken Salad recipe as much as I do! 

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13 Comments

  1. And again I wish this dish in front of me!
    Great!

    1. Aw thanks, Denis. Getting the ingredients together may take time your first try, but it is so worth it!

      1. I ll try it – although I m a little bit lefthanded 😉

  2. […] Link to blog post – https://foodiezoolee.com/recipes/basil-cashew-chicken-salad/ […]

  3. Used to work at a Roly Poly.

    The spicy sauce is just plain old, famous Sriracha sauce. The one with the rooster logo and green cap on it. We’d put everything else on the tortilla then just squirt a line or 3 across everything

    Also, it seems you are missing the keyword ingredient for the Basil Chicken Salad… basil.

    Finely cut up some fresh basil and mix thoroughly with the mayo. Dice the cooked chicken breast into small cubes and mix in with the mayo to allow it to soak in the basil mayo flavor. Refrigerate that for at least a couple hours and serve whenever you want after that. Should be good for 2 – 3+ days.

    Lay the lettuce down on the tortilla to cradle the chicken salad, put on chicken salad, then sliced tomatoes (not diced), then sliced avocado, finely lay out the sprouts on top, cashew halves sprinkled across that to your liking, and then a line (or however spicy you want to make it) of sriracha. Then roll it up, making sure to pinch in about 1 inch from the edge.

    That’s the real Roly Poly way at least.

    1. You’ve seriously answered some prayers – thanks so much for your tips. I can’t way to make it the right way!! Funnily enough, I was just talking to someone about this place earlier today!

  4. Oh I love sprouts, cashews and basil! Love love. Definitely need to make this!

    1. Me too, Chrissa! I love the unexpected crunch of sprouts in any recipe.

  5. That looks really delicious, and I really want to try it now!

  6. My favorite too. The Roly Poly here is gone. Now I don’t know where to get it. No more Roly Poly in the west?

  7. You took the words right out of my mouth! I miss it’s in Asheville and also the one in Charleston. My favorite was the #30! XOXO for your sweet self, you’ve answered a need!!!

  8. I used to work there. Just mix some grilled chicken with mayo, chopped basil, and garlic. Next, spoon mixture onto a wrap. Add leaf lettuce, sliced tomato, alfalfa sprouts, cashews, and a line or do of siracha sauce. Done. Do not overthink it.

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