This Thai Style Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing is the salad dreams are made of! It’s packed with tender chicken and a mix of crisp, colorful veggies, all tossed in a rich, creamy homemade peanut dressing that’s bursting with bold flavor. This salad is proof that serving a nourishing and healthy meal doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavor!
This Thai-inspired chicken salad is the kind of meal you’ll crave on repeat. It’s hearty enough to serve as a complete meal on its own or you can portion it smaller and serve as a side salad to your favorite Thai-style main course. The magic of a chopped salad like this is that every bite is filled with simple ingredients that have been turned into something totally indulgent!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Healthy & satisfying – There’s nothing better than enjoying a flavor-packed, satisfying meal and knowing it is super healthy!
- Perfect for prepping ahead – This is an easy recipe to prep in advance, place in the fridge and then pull out when the time is right. No cooking required!
- Easy homemade peanut sauce– no store-bought needed!
- Simple to make – Chop some veggies, mix the dressing and serve. This flavor combination is beyond delicious!
Recipe Notes
This Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing recipe is as simple as promised! Just chop your veggies, mix your dressing and you’re good to go for a family friendly, satisfying salad.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make this Thai chicken salad recipe to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Shredded chicken – You can use leftover chicken breasts, buy a rotisserie chicken or easily bake your own.
- Red (purple cabbage)
- Nappa cabbage
- English cucumber – These are thin, long cucumbers, often sold in shrink wrap.
- Red bell pepper – You can also sub yellow or orange, if you have them on hand. Green is fine, but it will be a bit bitter for this salad.
- Shredded carrots– A little bag of these pre-shredded carrots are easily found in the produce section. Or you can always shred your own!
- Cilantro
- Green onions
- Chopped peanuts– You can use any unflavored, shelled peanuts.
- Peanut butter – Your favorite brand will work!
- Soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Sesame oil
- Sriracha
- Minced garlic – You can press your own or use jarred, minced garlic.
- Minced ginger – Like the garlic, fresh is always best, but you can easily use pre-minced ginger that’s in a jar or bottle.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Spicy Thai Chicken Salad– You can definitely spice up the salad if that’s your thing! Dice a serrano or jalapeno pepper, add some extra sriracha to the dressing or sprinkle red pepper flakes into your dressing as you mix it.
- Extra Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad – Sprinkling the top of your salad with crispy wontons or pepitas would give it a fun crunch.
- Make it Vegetarian – If you’d prefer a vegetarian salad, simply omit the chicken. Consider adding shelled edamame or chopped tofu for added protein.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make thai chicken salad with homemade peanut dressing.
In a medium bowl, add peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, minced garlic and minced ginger.
Whisk together. Add water until dressing reaches desired consistency.
In a large bowl, add chicken, red and napa cabbage and chopped cucumber.
Add red bell pepper, shredded carrots, chopped cilantro, green onions and chopped peanuts.
Drizzle the thai peanut dressing over the top.
Toss until everything is mixed and evenly coated with the peanut dressing.
Recipe Tips
- Chop your ingredients similar in size – A perfectly chopped salad means you are able to get a taste of nearly every ingredient in a single bite!
- Prep your ingredients in advance – If meal prepping is your thing, or if prepping dinner in advance is your thing, this is the perfect meal for you! Take time earlier in your day, or the day before, to chop your veggies and mix the dressing. Store the salad and dressing separately in the refrigerator. Don’t combine until you’re ready to serve so everything remains crisp!
- Chopping peanuts– To prepare the peanuts, you can use any unflavored, shelled peanuts. Just use a large kitchen knife to roughly chop them. Salted and unsalted both work. I generally use talked because it is what I keep on hand!
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Rotisserie chicken – Buying a rotisserie chicken is my favorite way to add chicken to any meal! It’s affordable and saves me so much time in the kitchen!
- Use pre-chopped veggies – If you’re short on time, buy pre-chopped green onions, red peppers and shredded carrots. You can find all of these in the produce section of most grocery stores.
- Buy pre-shredded cabbage – A large bag of shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix would make this easy recipe even easier. The coleslaw mix has both green cabbage, red cabbage and shredded carrots.
What to Serve with Thai Style Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing
Since this protein based dinner has delicious Thai-inspired flavors, it will pair well with many of your favorite Thai or asian dishes.
Choose one or several of these dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both side dish and healthy main course options, depending on how you want to serve this salad.
Side Dish Ideas
Main Dish Pairings
Thai Style Chicken Salad Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this delicious salad, then it is your lucky day! Once the dressing has been tossed with the salad it’ll save well for about one day. Cabbage doesn’t get soggy as quickly as typical salad greens, however it will get soggy over time. If you anticipate having extra, add the peanut dressing only to the portion you plan on eating immediately. Save the rest of the salad in an airtight storage container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Save the dressing in separate container.
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Thai Chicken Salad Wrap or Sandwich– Use flatbread or a wrap. Lay additional chicken on the bread, top with leftover salad and peanut dressing.
- Thai Chicken Tacos– You could use this entire salad recipe OR omit the chicken from the salad and make this Slow Cooker Thai Chicken recipe. Use a wrap or tortilla and add this Thai chicken, top with your leftover chopped salad and drizzle on the leftover peanut dressing.
Recipe FAQ’s
What else could I do with this peanut dressing?
This dressing could also be used as a dipping sauce for spring rolls or drizzled over chicken skewers.
What is a traditional Thai salad?
Traditional Thai salads balance sweet, spicy, salty and sour flavors, often including fresh herbs and minimal oil.
Question 3?
Answer 3.
Question 4?
Answer 4.
More EASY Salad Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy salad recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Grinder Salad– This is a lightened up take on an Italian grinder sandwich!
- Burrata Caprese Salad
- Fiesta Chicken Salad
- Arugula Pear Salad– So impressive!
Thai Style Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded chicken, or diced
- ½ head purple (red) cabbage, finely chopped
- ½ head napa cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 English cucumber, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 4 green onions, chopped
- ½ cup chopped peanuts
For the Dressing
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 2-4 tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients except water until smooth.
- Add water and whisk until the dressing reaches the desired consistency. It should coat a spoon, and be pourable, but not overly thin.
- In a large bowl, add all of the salad ingredients.
- Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss until everything is mixed and evenly coated with the peanut dressing.
Recipe Notes
- To prepare the peanuts, you can use any unflavored, shelled peanuts. Just use a large kitchen knife to roughly chop them. Salted and unsalted both work. I generally use salted because it is what I keep on hand!
Leave a Reply