Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing
This Thai-inspired peanut salad is so easy, ready in 10 minutes thanks to a shortcut, and filled with amazing crunch and so many textures and flavors in every bite. The base of the salad consists of coleslaw mix — which is green cabbage with shredded carrots and a bit of red cabbage — and I added extra red cabbage for good measure along with salted peanuts and cilantro. The two stars ⭐️⭐️ of the show are the crispy fried chicken and the homemade peanut sauce. I have quite the collection of peanut sauce recipes, which just goes to show how much I love it, and this easy peanut butter salad dressing pairs with so many things. You’ll likely have extra peanut sauce so check out these recipes for other recipes and ways to use it. Extra sauce keeps for at least 10 days in the fridge.
Ingredients for Thai Peanut Salad
This is a crunchy Thai chicken salad that’s drizzled with homemade peanut butter salad dressing. It’s a cinch to make and the ingredients are easy to find. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
Coleslaw mix Red cabbage Fried chicken (see my notes in the “Tips” section below) Salted peanuts Fresh cilantro Creamy peanut butter Honey Sesame oil Apple cider vinegar Ground ginger Garlic Cayenne pepper Coconut milk (optional)
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Thai Peanut Salad
This crunchy chicken salad with peanut butter dressing is so quick and easy to make, and it’s much cheaper than dining at a restaurant!
Make-Ahead Instructions
Once assembled, the salad is best enjoyed immediately. However, you can make the dressing days in advance. You can also prep the veggies and store them in separate containers until you’re ready to use them.
What Type of Chicken Is Best for Thai Peanut Salad?
For the fried chicken component of this salad, there are a few ways to go:
What to Serve with Thai Peanut Chicken Salad
This crunchy Thai chicken salad is a meal in itself. Between the protein-packed chicken, the creamy peanut dressing, and the abundance of vegetables, you’re good to go! However, you can prepare an Asian-inspired feast by pairing the salad with one or more of the following:
Instant Pot Curry Noodles Fresh Spring Rolls Orange Ginger Vegetables Mushroom Vegetable Soup Sweet and Sour Noodles
More Peanut Chicken Recipes:
Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps – Easy, ready in 20 minutes, healthy, and the peanut sauce is the best! Great flavors and textures in every bite of these irresistible wraps! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Thai Peanut Chicken Salad – Eat the Rainbow with this easy, healthy salad that’s ready in 20 minutes! Juicy chicken and crisp vegetables are tossed in the best peanut sauce! Easy Chicken Satay With Peanut Sauce — Look no further from this FAST and EASY recipe for authentic-tasting Thai chicken satay. The chicken is so tender and juicy and there’s plenty of homemade PEANUT SAUCE to dip it into! Peanut Chicken with Peanut Noodles – Easy, ready in 20 minutes, tastes better, and way healthier than takeout! Peanut sauce automatically makes everything taste amazing! Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken – The easiest peanut chicken ever and your slow cooker does all the work! Topped with crunchy peanuts, cilantro, green onions, and the peanut sauce is irresistible! Originally posted September 16, 2019 and reposted July 14, 2023 with updated text.
