Description
This Thai Peanut Chicken Salad is a vibrant, flavorful dish combining tender shredded chicken with crisp cabbage and carrots, topped with a creamy, tangy Thai peanut dressing. Perfect for a quick, refreshing meal that balances savory, sweet, and spicy notes, this salad is both nutritious and easy to prepare, making it ideal for lunch or a light dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken (shredded)
- 2 cups cabbage (shredded)
- 1 cup carrots (shredded)
- ½ cup peanuts (chopped)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
- ¼ cup green onions (chopped)
- 2 Thai chili peppers or jalapenos (optional – for spice)
- 1 lime (sliced into wedges)
Peanut Dressing Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup (or honey)
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
- ½ teaspoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Make the Dressing: Add all of the ingredients for the Thai peanut dressing—creamy peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, maple syrup, chili garlic sauce, fresh lime juice, and water—into a blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy, ensuring all flavors are well combined.
- Prepare the Salad: In a large bowl, toss together the shredded cooked chicken, shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro, chopped green onions, and the optional chopped Thai chili peppers or jalapenos if you prefer some heat in your salad.
- Combine and Serve: Pour the prepared peanut dressing over the salad ingredients and toss thoroughly to coat everything evenly. Serve the salad with fresh lime wedges on the side for squeezing over, adding a fresh citrusy brightness to each serving.
Notes
- You can substitute peanut butter with almond butter for a different nutty flavor.
- For a vegetarian version, replace cooked chicken with tofu or chickpeas.
- Adjust the number of chili peppers based on your preferred spice level.
- Use gluten-free soy sauce if you need a gluten-free dish.
- Serve immediately for best texture or refrigerate for up to 1 day; the salad may become soggy over time.
