Thai Peanut Salad with Chicken

This Thai Peanut Salad with Chicken is one of my favourite ways to use up leftover roast chicken after a Sunday roast. It is light, refreshing and packed full of texture and flavour - think crispy veggies, crunchy peanuts and succulent roast chicken in the most gorgeous peanut butter dressing. I know you are going to love this one…

Of course you don’t have to use leftover roast chicken, you can use rotisserie chicken, or roast up some chicken thighs - but if I do happen to have leftover roast chicken this is a great way of using it up. This Thai Peanut Salad with Chicken is perfect when you want a totally fuss-free meal - it literally takes less than 10 minutes to throw together (you can’t really get quicker than that - unless you make my Korean Spicy Ramen Noodles). The star of the show is the incredible peanut dressing, it is packed full of flavour and so versatile. I love it with all sorts of salads, tossed through noodles, as a dipping sauce for chicken skewers or even crispy roasted tofu. You can totally make it your own too - sometimes I add a pinch of chilli flakes or some grated ginger for added heat.

Why you will love this Thai Peanut Salad with Chicken:

• It is so quick and simple and will be on the table in less than 10 minutes!
• It is packed full of flavour and texture thanks to the salty soy sauce, crunchy peanuts, nutty peanut butter, zesty lime and sweet honey.
• It is really versatile - you can swap the chicken breast for prawns and use whatever veggies you fancy in the salad.
• It is perfect for using up leftover roast chicken - I love making it after enjoying a traditional Sunday roast.
• It is a light, healthy and nutritious meal.

You will need the following ingredients:

For the dressing:

Peanut butter - I find smooth works best but you can use crunchy if you prefer the texture. 

Light soy sauce - this is full of salty, umami flavour which makes for the most delicious dressing. I use the light version in this Thai Peanut Salad with Chicken as it is more flavoursome - the dark version is a little thicker and sweeter.

Rice wine vinegar - this has a delicate, mild, and slightly sweet flavour than other vinegars which makes it ideal in the dressing for this Thai Peanut Salad with Chicken.

Sesame oil - I love the nutty flavour of sesame oil in Asian dishes. You don’t need much as a little goes a long way.

Garlic - I find 1 garlic clove is perfect for me in this recipe, but you can adjust according to taste. You can also swap for garlic paste or garlic granules, if you prefer.

Runny honey - this adds a lovely sweetness that balances out the other flavours in the dressing.

Lime - this adds a wonderfully refreshing zing that really brings this salad to life.

For the salad:

Red and white cabbage - adding shredded and chopped cabbage adds the most delicious crunch. I love using a mixture of colours as it looks so pretty.

Cucumber - this adds a bit of a crunch and a lovely refreshing flavour to this Thai Peanut Salad with Chicken.

Red pepper - I love the slight sweetness in red bell peppers, it complements the other flavours perfectly.

Carrots - these add a lovely pop of colour and delicious flavour. You could slice very thinly instead of grating, if you prefer.

Cooked chicken - this is the perfect recipe for using up leftover roast chicken. You could also use rotisserie chicken too - or cook off some chicken thighs specially (it is that good!).

Spring onions - these add to the subtle onion flavour and a bit of a crunch.

Coriander - a sprinkling of coriander adds a wonderfully fresh flavour. 

Roughly chopped peanuts - these add a delicious crunch and complement the peanut butter dressing perfectly.

Sesame seeds - I love sprinkling Asian-inspired dishes with sesame seeds. Toast them gently for extra flavour.

See recipe card for the exact recipe with a full list of ingredients and measurements

Substitutions and Variations:

• Roast chicken - you can swap the chicken for cooked prawns or crispy tofu for vegetarians and vegans (remember to use maple syrup in the dressing if cooking for vegans).
• Peanut butter - you could swap for cashew butter and garnish with roughly chopped cashews instead. Crunchy peanut butter or smooth, the choice is yours but I always use smooth.
• Runny honey - swap for maple syrup, if you prefer.
• Lime - you could swap for lemon if that is all you have to hand.
• Soy sauce - you could swap for tamari, just be mindful that it tends to be thicker and have a stronger flavour.
• Red pepper - you could use yellow or orange peppers instead. Green peppers have a more bitter flavour so I don’t tend to use them in a salad like this - but if you are a fan, go ahead!
• Peanuts - a sprinkling of peanuts adds a delicious crunch and complements the peanut butter, but you could use roughly chopped toasted cashews instead.
• Crispy fried onions - these are so good for adding a crispy, crunchy texture and delicious onion flavour. I always have a pot in my cupboard to use as garnish when I want a burst of texture and flavour. 
• Added crunch - you could fry some vermicelli noodles in oil until golden and crispy, then sprinkle on top. I also love crispy wonton wrappers which are so good for adding texture - as are tortillas… if you cut them into thin strips and fry them until crispy, they are so addictive! You’ve been warned!
• Chilli flakes - if you want to add some heat, finish with a sprinkling of crushed chilli flakes.

Here’s how to make this easy Thai Peanut Salad with Chicken:

Here's a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe below for detailed instructions.

ONE: Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl.

TWO: Drizzle over the dressing and toss together.

COOKING TIPS:

• Taste as you go: the dressing is what really makes this dish, so keep tasting to ensure you have the perfect balance of sweet, salt and acidity. You can add a pinch of chilli flakes if you want to add some heat.
• Another note on that dressing: this dressing is just so good. It is super versatile and utterly delicious stirred through noodles or served as a dipping sauce for chicken skewers or roasted crispy tofu.

Recipe Frequently Asked Questions:

Other recipes you may enjoy:

If you like the sound of this Thai Peanut Salad with Chicken, I have so many other Asian-inspired dishes for you to enjoy! My Fragrant Thai Chicken Soup with Cherry Tomatoes and Rice is like a hug in the bowl; the ultimate soul-soothing recipe that is packed full of delicious Thai flavours. Speaking of Thai flavours, my Thai Fish Cakes are super versatile - perfect for a super quick lunch with a simple salad, for supper with rice, or with your favourite dip as a party snack. My Thai Chicken Burgers with Pak Choi and Rice are another firm favourite in my house - we love them with sweet chilli sauce and a homemade slaw. Taking of household favourites, my Chicken Katsu Curry always goes down a treat - who doesn’t love a bowl of fluffy rice with crispy chicken and the most delicious aromatic coconut curry sauce?

Made this recipe and loved it?

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Thai Style Chopped Chicken Salad

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I love this Thai style chopped chicken salad. The star of the show is this incredible peanut dressing. It’s so good on salads, tossed through noodles or great as a dipping sauce.

• Author: margie
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4
• Category: Salads
• Method: No Cook
• Cuisine: Thai

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For The Dressing:

• 75g smooth peanut butter
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tbsp honey
• ½ lime, juiced

For The Salad (but use whatever you like or have on hand):

• 90g red cabbage, chopped
• 90g white cabbage, chopped
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 2 carrots, grated
• 140g cooked chicken, chopped (you can use left over roast chicken or you can even buy a rotisserie chicken)
• 3 spring onions, finely chopped
• Small bunch of coriander, chopped

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Instructions

1. Mix the dressing in a large bowl. Toss in the chopped veg and chicken and mix well. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

If you want to cook your own chicken, you can but it will take longer of course. I like to place a chicken breast on a piece of foil, season well with salt and pepper and scrunch into a parcel. Pop in the oven at 180c for 25 mins. Once cooked through, it stays juicy this way and you can shred it up using 2 forks.