This is me face-planting into a salad.
I know — salad and faceplant probably aren’t words you expect together on this blog. But here we are.
Max is currently obsessed with peanut butter toast. I’ve always offered it as a snack or part of a meal, but lately he asks for it multiple times a day. That means we’re going through a lot of peanut butter, and I usually make myself a peanut butter banana toast too, sprinkled with hemp hearts. It’s been my favorite post-workout snack since high school — simple and satisfying.
All that peanut-butter talk reignited my love for peanuts in savory dishes. Thai flavors are high on my list, and chopped peanuts on salads and noodles are always a highlight. Recently I started making a peanut dressing to keep in the fridge for easy weekday lunches.
This isn’t a dressing with just a hint of peanut — it’s peanut butter–based, so peanut flavor really shines through.
I kept the salad straightforward: definitely chicken, because chicken and peanut sauce are made for each other. I broiled boneless, skinless chicken thighs and brushed them with a honey–peanut butter–apple cider vinegar mixture so they caramelize slightly. The result is fantastic — one of the easiest, most delicious ways to prepare chicken.
There’s lots of avocado because I can’t imagine a salad without it. The base combines chopped napa cabbage and a slaw mix — something I almost always have in the fridge because it’s perfect for tacos and salads alike. I added cucumber for crunch, lime juice for brightness, and chopped peanuts for texture. Texture truly makes the dish.
The slaw mix already contains shredded carrots, which is how I prefer them. If you like whole carrot sticks or chunks, feel free to use those instead. I usually chop everything up as I eat so each bite has a bit of everything — my favorite way to enjoy a salad.
Let’s make salad a verb.
Also — look at how green this is. Perfect for that “April, almost beach season” anxiety. Am I right?
One last touch I love: crushed pita chips. Use them as a topping or to scoop the salad like nachos — salad nachos, anyone?
Chicken Avocado Salad with Peanut Dressing
2
30 mins
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Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons peanut butter
- 3 cups chopped napa cabbage
- 2 cups slaw mix (chopped cabbage and shredded carrots)
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- 1/2 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
Peanut Dressing
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
Instructions
- Heat the broiler to high and place a rack about 6 inches from the heat. Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Season the chicken on both sides with salt, pepper and paprika. Broil for 7 minutes, flip and broil 7 more minutes. While broiling, whisk honey, vinegar and peanut butter together. Brush the mixture on the chicken and broil 2 minutes, flip, brush again and broil 2 more minutes. Remove and let cool slightly, then slice.
- Combine the napa cabbage and slaw mix in a large bowl and toss with a pinch of salt and pepper. Top with sliced chicken, avocado, cucumber and chopped peanuts. Drizzle with the dressing, toss and serve.
Peanut Dressing
- Whisk all dressing ingredients together until smooth. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for a few days.
Did you make this recipe?
I appreciate you so much!
I already feel better about my Cadbury egg mishap this weekend.