Description
A vibrant and flavorful Thai Chicken Salad featuring a crunchy blend of shredded chicken, green and red cabbage, bell peppers, carrots, and mandarin oranges, all tossed in a creamy, zesty peanut dressing. Perfect as a light lunch or refreshing dinner, this salad balances savory, sweet, and spicy notes with crunchy nuts and optional crispy toppings.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon sriracha (can substitute hot sauce)
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Salad
- 4 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 4 cups green cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup carrots, julienned
- 1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained and patted dry
- ½ cup green onions, sliced
- ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- ½ cup honey roasted peanuts
- ⅓ cup slivered almonds
Optional Toppings
- Chow Mein Noodles
- Crispy Wonton Strips
- Toasted Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: Combine peanut butter, soy sauce, chicken broth, lime juice, honey, sriracha, garlic powder, sesame oil, and ground ginger in a food processor or whisk together in a large bowl until smooth and uniform. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, toss shredded chicken, green cabbage, red cabbage, diced red bell pepper, julienned carrots, drained mandarin oranges, green onions, and cilantro together until well mixed.
- Dress the Salad: When ready to serve, gradually add the dressing to the salad, tossing continuously to coat all ingredients evenly. Add in honey roasted peanuts and slivered almonds along with any optional toppings like Chow Mein noodles, crispy wonton strips, or toasted sesame seeds for extra crunch and flavor. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For a spicier salad, increase the sriracha or add fresh chopped chili.
- Use rotisserie chicken for quick preparation.
- Can be made a few hours ahead; keep dressing and salad separate until serving to maintain crunch.
- Optional toppings add delightful texture—feel free to customize based on preference.
- To make it gluten-free, ensure soy sauce is gluten-free or substitute with tamari.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Thai
Keywords: Thai chicken salad, peanut dressing salad, Asian chicken salad, healthy chicken salad, no cook salad
