Thai Chicken Salad

Thai Chicken Salad with peanut dressing is a tantalizing blend of crisp vegetables and tender chicken all tossed in a zesty dressing! With its perfect balance of sweet, savory, sour and spicy flavors, it’s a refreshing and satisfying dish inspired by Thai cuisine!

The Best Thai Chicken Salad Recipe

As far as salads go, this Thai-inspired chicken chopped salad bowl is definitely one of my absolute favorites! There is nothing bland or boring about it. It is packed with flavor and textures that you just won’t be able to get enough of!

This salad is perfectly healthy and fresh, and is coated in a tangy yet savory and umami-packed peanut dressing that is almost drinkable it’s so good!

With leftover or rotisserie chicken, you can have this Thai salad recipe on the table in less than 20 minutes!

Ingredients Needed

For the Thai Chicken Crunch Salad

• Chicken: You will want to use already cooked and sliced or shredded chicken! This is a great place to use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken.
• Red & Green Cabbage: I like to use both red and green cabbage for loads of texture and nutrients!
• Red Bell Pepper: Red bell pepper adds a sweet flavor and crunchy texture. You can use any color bell pepper that you have on hand, but I recommend sticking with red, yellow or orange!
• Carrots: Slice your carrots into thin matchsticks for maximum texture!
• Green Onions: Green onions add a depth of flavor without being overpowering.
• Cilantro: Fresh cilantro is a must here! It adds a fresh, herby flavor!
• Peanuts: Chopped peanuts add a lovely flavor and crunchy texture to this Thai chicken salad!
• Sesame Seeds: Garnish with sesame seeds, if desired!

For the Peanut Dressing

• Peanut Butter: Since this is a salad dressing, creamy peanut butter will work best!
• Honey: For just a hint of sweetness to balance out the savory and tangy flavors.
• Lime: Lime juice adds just the right amount of tang!
• Soy Sauce: I used low sodium soy sauce here. If you have regular, make sure you don’t add too much or it can be too salty.
• Sesame Oil: For a nutty flavor!
• Coconut Aminos: Coconut aminos add some extra umami flavor without all the salt.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves add a deep, savory flavor!
• Sriracha: Add some sriracha to taste, especially if you like spicy foods! If you don’t like spicy foods, you can omit this.

How to Make Thai chicken salad

1. Make the Peanut Dressing: In a small bowl, add all of the ingredients and whisk to combine. Add sriracha to taste then set aside.

2. Make the Salad: In a large bowl, add chicken, both cabbages, bell pepper, carrots, green onion, cilantro and peanuts.

3. Add Dressing and Toss: Top with dressing (I always add about 3/4 of the dressing and then add more if needed). Toss to coat everything in the dressing and serve immediately with sesame seeds for garnish if desired! This salad is best enjoyed immediately to keep it’s crunchy texture.

Recipe Tips & Variations

• Veggies: The veggies here can be substituted for others if you prefer! Some others that would go well with the flavors here are cucumbers, tomatoes or red onions! If you don’t like cabbage or want less of it, you can add some chopped lettuce or spinach instead!
• Protein: Chicken is a great source of protein, but can be replaced by steak, shrimp, or tofu if you prefer!
• Use high quality sesame oil! For the best taste, use a toasted sesame oil that is dark in color. This kind of sesame oil adds the most flavor!

More Salad Recipes to Try

• Shrimp Avocado Salad
• Italian Chopped Salad
• Tomato & Black Bean Quinoa Salad
• Japanese Cucumber Salad
• Mexican Salmon Salad