Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad
- PREP 30min
- COOK 15min
- TOTAL 45min
We love this super flavorful and crunchy Thai chicken salad. We cook the chicken and make the creamy dressing from scratch. For the dressing, you will need something creamy. My preference is mayonnaise, but you can experiment with plain Greek yogurt if you’d like. Keep in mind that yogurt will be a little more tart.
I’ve written this as a complete, dinner-worthy salad, but feel free to make the creamy chicken salad without any veggies and then use it for lettuce wraps, sandwiches, or wraps with tortillas.
You Will Need
1 pound (450g) chicken breast
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
3 tablespoons (42g) mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce, like from Mae Ploy
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon lime juice, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
3 tablespoons (25g) finely minced red onion
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
4 cups (280g) shredded cabbage, use white cabbage, red cabbage, or a combination
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and sliced
3 ribs celery, thinly sliced, about 1 cup
1/2 cup (70g) peanuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, optional
Handful of crispy wonton strips, optional
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Prepare the chicken: Slice each chicken breast horizontally, almost all the way through, and open it like a book to create a thinner, even thickness. This “butterflying” technique guarantees quick, even cooking. Rub the chicken with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of tamari.
Bake the chicken: Place butterflied and seasoned chicken on the prepared baking sheet and bake until just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, tent with a sheet of foil, and let rest for 15 minutes.
Make the dressing: Whisk 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons sweet Thai chili sauce, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, and 3 tablespoons finely minced red onion in the bottom of a mixing bowl.
Marinate the chicken: Dice the cooked and rested chicken into 3/4-inch pieces, add to the bowl with the dressing, and then gently toss until the chicken is well coated. Add any liquid left on the baking sheet, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper, toss again, and let it sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, or until cool.
Make Thai chicken salad: In a large salad bowl, combine 4 cups of shredded cabbage, sliced bell pepper, 1 cup sliced celery, 1/2 cup chopped peanuts, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, and the optional sesame seeds and crispy wontons. Add the chicken salad, making sure to scrape out all of the dressing. Toss well, then season with salt, pepper, and extra lime juice as needed.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Chicken: We butterfly the chicken breasts to promote even, quick cooking. If they are available, you can substitute 1 pound of chicken tenderloins or “thin sliced” chicken breast (both will allow you to skip the butterflying step.)
- Storing: This salad keeps for 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge. As it sits, the flavors will intensify, and the cabbage will wilt slightly (but not in a bad way). The only element of this salad that does not hold well is the wonton strips, which I recommend adding right before serving so that they are crispy.
- Nutrition facts are estimates. We did not include the wonton strips.