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bowl of salad with chicken on top, peanut dressing and peanuts

Thai Chicken Salad

Chopped salad with romaine lettuce, Napa cabbage, purple cabbage, matchstick carrots, green onions, cilantro, marinated cucumbers tossed together topped with sliced pan-seared chicken, a sweet and slightly spicy peanut dressing and salted peanuts.
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Course Dinner
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

Salad

  • 2 heads romaine lettuce
  • 5 c Napa cabbage
  • 2 c purple cabbage
  • 2 c matchstick carrots
  • 1 bunch green onios sliced
  • 1 bunch cilantro roughly chopped

Marinated Cucumbers

  • 1 seedless cucumber peeled, seeds removed, sliced
  • 1 c water
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar

Dressing

  • 1 c smooth peanut butter
  • 1 c brown sugar
  • 1/2-3/4 c water see instructions
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 6 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 2 tsp red pepper flakes

Topping

  • salted peanuts

Chicken

  • 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts halved lenghwise
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Early in the day start marinating your cucumbers. Mix water, sugar and rice vinegar in a small mixing bowl and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Peel a seedless cucumber, sliced down the middle, clean out the center seeds with a spoon (yes, seedless cucumbers still have seeds). Slice in 1/4" slices. Place the cucumber slices in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate until you're ready to prepare the salad.
  • For the dressing, to a food processor or blender add all the ingredients except the water. Process until smooth. Slowly add the water until you reach your desired consistency. The dressing should be thick but very pourable. Based on how much juice your lime renders, you'll need between 1/2-3/4 c of water. Set aside.
  • Prepare your chicken by trimming off excess fat and gristle. Trim each breast lenghwise, so you have 2 thin breasts. Do this with all the chicken you've decided to prepare.
  • Season on both sides and cook for 6 minutes per side in neutral oil a preheated pan just a hair under medium heat. Once cooked, slice.
  • Chop the romaine, Napa cabbage, purple cabbage, green onion and cilantro. Add everything to a large salad bowl followed by the matchstick carrots and the marinated cucumbers (drain before using). Toss together.
  • Add chicken to individual servings then dress. Adding dressing to individual servings rather than the big bowl keeps leftover salad from wilting. Top with salted peanuts and enjoy.
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