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 recipe:

• 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.

Ingredients:

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

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 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.

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.

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 or almond 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!
• 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.
• 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 at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions.

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.

Cook your own chicken: If you don’t have or want to use a rotisserie chicken, you can cook it yourself. 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 or until cooked through. Once cooked through, it stays juicy this way and you can shred it up using 2 forks.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Other recipes you may enjoy:

If you like the sound of this Thai Peanut Salad with Chicken, try my Fragrant Thai Chicken Soup with Cherry Tomatoes and Rice, Thai Fish Cakes or my Thai Chicken Burgers with Pak Choi.

Vegetarian Dishes

Feta Saganaki

Easy Baking Recipes

Plum Yogurt Cake

Easy Dessert Recipes

San Sebastián Cheesecake

Lunch Recipes

Torta Pasqualina

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