There are a lot of vegetables in this dish—probably more than I’ve ever had in one place before. No bacon, no cheese, no fries, and minimal carbs. The bright, flavorful dressing makes up for it: it’s so good you could drink it. Make extra for dipping chips, tortillas, or whatever else you like.
A few weeks ago we were out late and stopped for dinner at CPK around 10 PM. I’d already snacked on bacon cheeseburger, truffle fries and chocolate shakes earlier in the day, so I skipped pizza and ordered a Thai-style salad instead—asking for fewer veggies and extra peanuts. Peanuts add the crunch and flavor that make this salad irresistible.
Crunch and texture are what I love, though I’ll admit I’m not a fan of everything that’s typically in this kind of salad—carrots and cucumbers still aren’t my favorites. Napa cabbage, however, is mild and works well when tossed with shredded chicken and a sticky Thai-inspired sauce. Traditional versions sometimes include fried wontons; I avoid them because of a long-ago food sickness that left me wary of plain wontons.
This recipe yields a large portion, so I recommend keeping the peanuts, chicken and dressing separate when storing leftovers. That way you can assemble an unsoggy serving later for a quick snack or lunch.
Below is the full recipe for Thai Crunch Chicken Salad, including a versatile dressing that doubles as a marinade and a finishing sauce.
Thai Crunch Chicken Salad
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Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Dressing + Marinade
- 1 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup lite canned coconut milk
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 2 teaspoon-sized knobs of ginger, grated
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salad
- 1 small napa cabbage, chopped
- 1/2 small red cabbage, chopped
- 6 green onions, sliced
- 1 large cucumber, peeled, sliced and quartered
- 2/3 cup chopped or sliced carrots
- 2/3 cup edamame
- 2/3 cup torn fresh cilantro
- 2/3 cup chopped peanuts
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly spray a baking dish with nonstick spray. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place it in the dish.
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In a saucepan, whisk together the sweet chili sauce, rice vinegar, coconut milk, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, peanut butter, soy sauce and lime juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and pour half the sauce over the chicken, turning to coat. Reserve the remaining sauce for the salad.
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Bake the chicken 25–30 minutes, or until cooked through.
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While the chicken cooks, combine all salad ingredients except the peanuts in a large bowl and toss. When the chicken is done, let it cool slightly, then shred or slice. Serve the salad topped with chicken and peanuts, and drizzle with the reserved dressing.
Notes
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