This slightly spicy, crunchy, and hearty Thai peanut chicken salad recipe will get you through summer! The same peanut sauce is used for the chicken marinade and the dressing-so simple and flavorful!
It's all there: the crunch, the slight bite of spicy peanut sauce complementing the cooling cucumber, the ingredient variety and combination of flavors and textures. This is a chopped that has a lot going on, and I'm not sad about it.
If you're a home cook trying to use up a lot veg at once (especially summer veggies like the ones you get in a CSA box, ahem... cabbage), this is the perfect salad for it.
With just a bit of chopping, and simple batch of cooked chicken thighs, the same marinade for the chicken is the the one that gets used for the peanut dressing that ties everything together (love when that happens).
Cooking the Chicken
This recipe calls for cooked chicken, so it's perfect if you have leftover grilled or roasted chicken, or even a rotisserie chicken from the store.
If you need to cook chicken for the salad, I love using my Instant Pot for this. Just combine the chicken with some onions, salt, pepper, olive oil, and water or broth in the Instant Pot, and cook on high pressure for 11 minutes with a natural release for at least 10 minutes. Remove, shred, and it's ready for salad!
Side note, tofu is a great alternative for making this plant-based.
Making This Seasonal
I love this salad because cabbage and carrots can be grown in a lot seasons, and it's perfect for using up a whole bunch of CSA share cabbage.
Other veggies that would be great include peppers (hot or sweet) or finely shredded kale.
Substitutions
- Peanuts (or another nut or seed) for cashews. If you're allergic to nuts, definitely try something else for a nutty crunch, such as pepitas, sunflower seeds, or sesame seeds. If you're not allergic but just don't have a cashews, peanuts or even slivered almonds would work. Maybe evens some coconut flakes? Get crazy.
- Tamari or low sodium soy sauce for coconut aminos. I typically keep tamari or coconut aminos on hand, but low sodium soy sauce will work, too.
- Olive oil for sesame oil. While sesame oil does add a unique flavor to the peanut sauce, I've also made it with olive oil and can vouch for equally tasty results.
📖 Recipe
Thai Peanut Chicken Salad
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 meal-sized salads 1x
Description
A slightly spicy Thai peanut chicken salad loaded with crunchy veggies, marinated chicken, chickpeas, and cashews, doused in a delicious peanut sauce. Go-to summer salads, here we come.
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- ½ cup peanut butter (natural/drippy kind works well here)
- 3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon red chili paste (such as sambal oelek)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste (or ½-inch fresh ginger, grated)
- 3-4 tablespoons of water to thin
For the salad:
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 4 cups shredded green cabbage (or purple, or a mix)
- ½ cup thinly slice green onions with tops
- 2 large carrots, peeled and grated (or sliced into ribbons)
- 1 cup cucumber, seeded and diced
- large handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- â…“ cup peanuts or cashews, roughly chopped
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Make the dressing. Whisk together peanut butter, tamari, rice vinegar, garlic, chili paste, honey, ginger paste, and water until smooth.
- Make the salad. Combine all the salad veggies, chickpeas, and chicken into one big bowl.
- Toss & serve. Drizzle with the peanut dressing and serve!
Notes
- Storage instructions: Store in an airtight container in the fridge, and enjoy within 3-4 days.
- Leftover rice: I love adding leftover rice or grains to this salad for a heartier meal!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Salad
- Method: Combine
- Cuisine: Thai
Leave a Reply