Description
A vibrant and flavorful Thai Peanut Chicken Salad combining shredded cooked chicken with crisp cabbage, carrots, fresh herbs, and a creamy, spicy peanut dressing. This quick and easy salad delivers a perfect balance of savory, tangy, and sweet flavors with a hint of heat, making it ideal for a light lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 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
Dressing
- 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
- Prepare the dressing: Add the peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, maple syrup (or honey), chili garlic sauce, fresh lime juice, and water into a blender. Blend until the dressing is smooth and creamy.
- Mix the salad ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the shredded cooked chicken, shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, chopped peanuts, chopped cilantro, chopped green onions, and sliced chili peppers if using. Toss these ingredients together to combine well.
- Combine salad and dressing: Pour the blended peanut dressing over the salad mixture and toss thoroughly to ensure everything is evenly coated. Serve the salad immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over as desired.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the cooked chicken with tofu or tempeh.
- Adjust the number of chili peppers according to your preferred spice level.
- Roast the peanuts lightly for added crunch and flavor.
- The salad is best served fresh but can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.
- Use gluten-free soy sauce to make this dish gluten-free.
