Description
A vibrant and fresh Thai Chicken Salad featuring shredded chicken, crunchy cabbage, bell peppers, and a bold peanut dressing. Ready in just 15 minutes, this salad combines sweet, tangy, and savory flavors with a delightful crunch, perfect for a quick and healthy meal.
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 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
- ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- ½ cup honey roasted peanuts
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds
- Optional: Chow Mein Noodles, Crispy Wonton Strips, Toasted Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- Make the Dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients—peanut butter, soy sauce, chicken broth, lime juice, honey, sriracha, garlic powder, toasted sesame oil, and ground ginger—in a food processor or large bowl. Blend or whisk until smooth and uniform. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Prepare the Salad: Shred the cooked chicken breast and prepare all vegetables: shred green and red cabbage, dice the red bell pepper, julienne the carrots, and chop the green onions and cilantro. Drain and pat dry the mandarin oranges. Combine all these salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Toss and Serve: When ready to serve, gradually add the chilled dressing to the salad while tossing to ensure even coating. Add dressing incrementally until reaching your desired consistency. Serve immediately for the freshest taste and crunch.
- Optional Garnishes: Top the salad with optional crunchy toppings such as Chow Mein noodles, crispy wonton strips, or toasted sesame seeds for added texture and flavor.
Notes
- To make shredded chicken: Gently simmer 3 chicken breasts at a very low bubble for 15-20 minutes to prevent toughness. Let rest 5-10 minutes, then shred using two forks. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Use 16 oz. coleslaw mix as a convenient substitute for fresh cabbage and carrots.
- Rotisserie chicken is a great time saver for this recipe. Poaching your own chicken is another easy option.
- Using a mix of green and red cabbage adds color, but using all green cabbage is fine too.
- Do not add dressing until just before serving to keep the salad fresh and crisp; the salt in the dressing will draw moisture out of the cabbage if left too long.
- Sriracha adds depth of flavor without much heat. Substitute with your preferred hot sauce as needed.
- Leftover cabbage can be repurposed into dishes like Egg Roll in a Bowl or Cabbage and Sausage recipes.
