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 chicken breast (450 g)
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
3 tablespoons mayonnaise (42 g)
2 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce, like from Mae Ploy
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons lime juice, plus more for serving
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons finely minced red onion (25 g)
4 cups shredded cabbage, use white cabbage, red cabbage, or a combination (280 g)
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and sliced
3 ribs celery, thinly sliced, about 1 cup
½ cup peanuts, roughly chopped (70 g)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Fine sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, optional
Handful of crispy wonton strips, optional
Directions
1Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2Prepare 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.
3Bake the chicken: Place butterflied chicken on the prepared baking sheet, rub them all over with the sesame oil and soy sauce, then bake until just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
4Make the dressing: In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, Thai chili sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar, and finely minced red onion.
5Marinate the chicken: Dice the cooked and rested chicken into ½-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.
6Make Thai chicken salad: Toss the cabbage with a pinch of salt and set aside for 5 minutes, then add it to the bowl with the chicken, along with the bell pepper, celery, chopped peanuts, cilantro, and the optional sesame seeds and crispy wontons. Toss well, then season with salt, pepper, and extra lime juice as needed (I always add more lime juice).
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.