This Ultimate Thai Chicken Salad brings together a symphony of authentic Thai flavors, beautifully complemented by an irresistibly easy homemade peanut sauce. It’s a hearty, satisfying, and flavor-packed main dish salad that will quickly become a family favorite.

Craving more vibrant Thai-inspired dishes? Be sure to explore these other fantastic recipes: Thai Peanut Noodles, this wholesome Buddha Bowl with Thai Chicken, or this fiery Spicy Thai Chicken.

Ultimate Thai Chicken Salad: A Flavorful and Healthy Meal

For many of us, dinner often revolves around the classic salad – a versatile and refreshing option that never disappoints. While a build-your-own salad bar offers endless customization, there’s a unique joy in crafting a spectacular, cohesive salad that truly stands out. This **Thai Chicken Salad** is exactly that kind of dish: a culinary masterpiece that transforms simple ingredients into an extraordinary meal.

This particular **easy Thai chicken salad** has earned a top spot among our favorite weeknight dinners. It’s wonderfully hearty and incredibly filling, easily satisfying those dinner cravings without compromising on health. But what truly sets it apart is the explosion of flavors in every bite. From the zesty marinated chicken to the crisp, vibrant vegetables and the decadent peanut sauce, your tastebuds are in for an unforgettable journey. Prepare for pure satisfaction!

Why You’ll Love This Thai Chicken Salad Recipe

• **Explosion of Flavors:** This salad perfectly balances the sweet, savory, sour, and spicy notes characteristic of authentic Thai cuisine.
• **Hearty & Satisfying:** Loaded with protein and fresh vegetables, it’s substantial enough to be a complete meal, leaving you feeling full and energized.
• **Easy to Customize:** Don’t like a particular veggie? Swap it out! This recipe is incredibly flexible, allowing you to tailor it to your preferences.
• **Fantastic for Meal Prep:** Most components can be prepared ahead of time, making it an ideal choice for busy schedules.
• **Healthy & Fresh:** Packed with nutrients from an array of colorful vegetables and lean chicken, it’s a guilt-free indulgence.
• **Homemade Dressings:** Both the main dressing and the peanut sauce are made from scratch, ensuring fresh, vibrant tastes without artificial additives.

Key Ingredients for Your Thai Chicken Salad

While the ingredient list for this **flavorful chicken salad** might appear extensive at first glance, don’t be intimidated! The preparation primarily involves chopping, and everything comes together surprisingly quickly. Each component plays a vital role in creating the perfect balance of taste and texture.

The Star: Marinated Chicken

For the chicken, I typically opt for boneless, skinless chicken breasts due to their lean nature and ease of preparation, but chicken thighs also work wonderfully if you prefer a richer flavor. The marinade is simple yet transformative, consisting of rice vinegar, oil, a touch of sugar, fresh garlic, fragrant cilantro, and vibrant lime juice. This blend infuses the chicken with a tangy, aromatic flavor profile, ensuring every bite is moist and tender.

The Zesty Dressing

Our homemade salad dressing is designed to perfectly complement the fresh vegetables and marinated chicken. You’ll need a foundation of rice vinegar, the delightful sweetness and mild spice of Thai sweet chili sauce, a hint of nutty sesame oil, and a small amount of sugar to balance the acidity. Remember to add salt to taste, adjusting until the dressing achieves its peak flavor harmony.

The Vibrant Salad Base

This section is truly more of a guideline than a strict rule – feel empowered to incorporate your favorite crisp vegetables! My preferred blend includes crunchy romaine lettuce, tender Napa cabbage, colorful red cabbage for an extra pop, refreshing cucumber, protein-rich edamame, sweet shredded carrots, vibrant bell pepper, and thinly sliced green onions. This combination offers a fantastic variety of textures and nutrients, making every forkful interesting and delicious. Feel free to experiment with ingredients like shredded jicama, cherry tomatoes, or even a handful of bean sprouts for added crunch.

The Irresistible Peanut Sauce

While I have another beloved peanut sauce recipe, the one used here is slightly different and streamlines the process with fewer ingredients, making it incredibly quick to whisk together. You’ll need creamy peanut butter (either natural or commercial will work, just adjust consistency as needed), savory soy sauce, more rice vinegar for tang, a spoonful of Thai sweet chili sauce for that signature flavor, and a neutral oil to help it emulsify into a smooth, luscious sauce. This sauce is the indulgent crown jewel of our **Peanut Sauce Salad**!

Crafting Your Delicious Thai Chicken Salad: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating this **Asian chicken salad** is a straightforward process, broken down into easy steps to ensure a perfect result every time.

Step 1: Marinate the Chicken for Maximum Flavor

Combine your boneless, skinless chicken breasts with all the marinade ingredients in a resealable plastic bag. Ensure the chicken is fully coated, then refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours. This duration is ideal; avoid marinating longer than 8 hours, as the lime juice can start to break down the chicken’s fibers, resulting in an undesirable texture.

Step 2: Cook the Marinated Chicken to Perfection

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove the chicken from the marinade, discarding any remaining liquid. Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and bake until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), which typically takes about 40 minutes, depending on thickness. Alternatively, for an even deeper smoky flavor, you can grill the chicken until cooked through. Once slightly cooled, dice or shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Step 3: Whisk Together the Refreshing Salad Dressing

In a small bowl or, even better, a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all the ingredients for the main salad dressing. Whisk vigorously or shake well until all components are thoroughly combined and the dressing is smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, ensuring it’s perfectly balanced.

Step 4: Prepare the Creamy Peanut Sauce

In a separate small bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and Thai sweet chili sauce. Whisk these ingredients together until well blended. Gradually drizzle in the vegetable oil while continuing to whisk, until the sauce reaches a smooth, creamy, and pourable consistency. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit more oil or water, a teaspoon at a time, until desired thickness is achieved.

Step 5: Assemble the Fresh Salad Base

In a very large mixing bowl – you’ll need plenty of space for this generous salad – combine the chopped romaine lettuce, Napa cabbage, red cabbage, diced cucumber, cooked edamame, shredded carrots, chopped bell pepper, and green onions. Give it a good toss to distribute the vegetables evenly.

Step 6: Dress the Salad Evenly

Pour the prepared main dressing over the mixed salad ingredients. Toss gently but thoroughly until every piece of vegetable is lightly coated in the vibrant dressing. This ensures maximum flavor in every bite.

Step 7: Incorporate the Chicken

Once the vegetables are dressed, gently fold in the diced or shredded cooked chicken. I prefer to add the chicken after dressing the greens to prevent the chicken from absorbing too much dressing, keeping it tender and flavorful.

Step 8: Serve and Garnish

Portion the **Thai Chicken Salad** into individual bowls. Drizzle each serving generously with the homemade peanut sauce. Finish with a sprinkle of crushed peanuts for added crunch and fresh cilantro for a burst of herbaceous freshness. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Expert Tips for the Perfect Thai Chicken Salad

Mastering this **healthy Thai salad** is easy with a few helpful pointers:

• **Time-Saving Shortcuts:** For those extra busy days, feel free to use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken or pre-shredded cooked chicken. This significantly cuts down on prep time without sacrificing flavor.
• **Personalized Peanut Sauce:** I highly recommend serving the peanut sauce on the side. This allows each person to customize their salad to their liking. While it’s a must-have for me, my husband prefers to skip it, highlighting the importance of individual choice!
• **Spice It Up:** If you’re a fan of heat, a dash of sriracha or a pinch of red pepper flakes can be added to the peanut sauce or directly over your salad for an extra kick.
• **Meal Prep Marvel:** All components of this salad—the chicken, the main dressing, and the peanut sauce—can be prepared ahead of time and stored separately in the refrigerator. Assemble just before serving for the freshest taste and crunch.
• **Storage Tips:** Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. While the salad is best enjoyed fresh, it will remain good to eat for about 24 hours. Be aware that the dressing can make the greens slightly soggy over time, so if you anticipate leftovers, dress only the portion you plan to eat immediately.
• **Vegetarian Option:** To make this a vegetarian **chop salad**, simply omit the chicken and add extra edamame, crispy tofu, or chickpeas for protein.
• **Nut-Free Alternative:** If you have a peanut allergy, consider using a sunflower seed butter or tahini-based sauce as a delicious alternative to the peanut sauce.
• **Texture Variety:** Don’t hesitate to add other crunchy elements like chopped bell peppers, water chestnuts, or crispy wonton strips for extra textural contrast.

Discover More Thai-Inspired Culinary Delights

If you’ve fallen in love with the vibrant flavors of this Thai Chicken Salad, you’ll surely enjoy these other wonderful recipes that draw inspiration from Thai cuisine:

Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Thai Beef Salad
Sweet Thai Chicken Wings
Thai Tacos with Lime Cilantro Slaw
Thai Chicken Wraps with Spicy Peanut Sauce

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Thai Chicken Salad

Author:
Deborah Harroun

Prep Time:
20 minutes

Cook Time:
40 minutes

Marinating Time:
4 hours

Total Time:
5 hours

Servings:
6 servings

Course:
Salad

Cuisine:
Asian

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This Thai Chicken Salad is filled with all kinds of delicious Thai flavors and is topped with an easy peanut sauce. This is a hearty main dish salad full of flavor.

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• 1 cup cilantro chopped
• juice of 1 lime
• dash of salt
• 8-12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salad

• 4 cups chopped romaine
• 2 cups chopped napa cabbage
• 2 cups chopped red cabbage
• 1 cup diced cucumber
• 1 cup edamame cooked
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• peanuts for topping

Dressing

• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 4 tablespoons Thai sweet red chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

Peanut Sauce

• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Thai sweet red chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

For the chicken:

• In a ziptop bag, combine all of the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken breast. Marinate for 4 to 8 hours.
• Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Discard the marinade and place the chicken breast in a baking dish. Bake until the internal temperature is 165°F (74°C), about 40 minutes. When cool enough to handle, shred or cut into small pieces.

For the dressing:

• Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk well to combine. Pour over the salad and stir to coat the whole salad.

For the salad:

• In a large bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients (romaine, cabbages, cucumber, edamame, carrots, bell pepper, green onions). Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to coat. Stir in the chicken.

For the peanut sauce:

• In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar and chili sauce. Slowly whisk in the vegetable oil until the sauce comes together to a smooth, creamy consistency. Drizzle over the salad to serve. Top with peanuts, if desired.

Recipe Notes:

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Nutritional information was figured consuming 1/4 of the chicken marinade, since most is discarded before cooking. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving,
Calories: 331kcal (17%),
Carbohydrates: 24g (8%),
Protein: 18g (36%),
Fat: 18g (28%),
Saturated Fat: 3g (19%),
Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g,
Monounsaturated Fat: 7g,
Trans Fat: 0g,
Cholesterol: 34mg (11%),
Sodium: 655mg (28%),
Potassium: 582mg (17%),
Fiber: 4g (17%),
Sugar: 14g (16%)

Keywords:
thai chicken salad