Fresh and crunchy Thai Chicken Salad filled with cabbage, bell peppers, carrots and cilantro all tossed together with a delicious ginger-sesame vinaigrette!
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Let me just say, this recipe proves that salads do NOT have to be boring! Bright, colorful and with so much flavor, this Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad is hands down a favorite of mine and one I love to make time and time again. Not only is this salad delicious, but it makes such a great side dish to any Asian meal OR tastes incredible all on its own! The ginger-sesame vinaigrette is one of my go-to dressings you have probably already seen in several of my dishes such as this Asian shrimp salad and my Asian chicken salad. I love this recipe in particular because of the combination of flavors and, of course, the delicious crunch!
Why You’ll Love This
Flavorful – this Thai chicken salad has the perfect balance of bold flavor, fresh crunch and satisfying protein in every bite.
Quick and easy – this salad may have a lot of components, but it truly is so easy to throw together. I like to use leftover rotisserie chicken to save time!
Healthy – packed with protein, healthy fats, and made with fresh ingredients that will leave you full and satisfied. This salad is also naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and can easily be adjusted for low-carb or keto diets.
Customizable – you can easily make this salad all your own by using your favorite combination of veggies, swapping out the chicken for shrimp, tofu or even noodles, and switching up the dressing!
Ingredients You’ll Need
shredded chicken – I love making this with rotisserie chicken because it’s quick, easy and SO flavorful! You can also make your own skinless chicken breasts or even substitute the chicken with shrimp.
chopped cabbage – I like to use napa cabbage, but you could use regular cabbage, red cabbage, chopped romaine, or iceberg lettuce in this salad.
grated carrots – to make things easier I usually just buy store-bought matchstick carrots, but feel free to grate your own carrots if you have some on hand.
bell pepper slices – I like to use red for the color, but feel free to use any color bell pepper you would like.
cilantro and green onions – add a pop of color and fresh flavors to this salad. Feel free to use whatever fresh herbs you like best though.
crunchy wonton strips – I get a bag of these at Target or you can make your own by baking strips of wonton wrappers in the oven. You can also substitute wonton strips with some chopped peanuts or cashews so you can still enjoy that good crunch!
ginger-sesame dressing – makes this salad taste absolutely amazing! You can find the details below on the recipe card. This peanut dressing would also taste great in this salad.
Use your crock pot or Instant Pot to make the most flavorful, fall-apart shredded chicken! Simply throw your chicken breasts into the pot, add 1/2 cup chicken broth along with some salt and pepper, then turn it on!
Ingredients for Ginger-Sesame Dressing
olive oil – I like to use a good olive oil that doesn’t have to be expensive, just make sure it’s cold-pressed and organic for the most flavor. Avocado oil or vegetable oil would work as well.
sesame oil – adds a delicious nutty flavor to the dressing.
soy sauce – I always use low-sodium soy sauce as I find that regular soy sauce can make this dressing too salty. You could also swap the soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos to make this gluten-free or paleo.
rice vinegar – this adds a nice tangy flavor and some zip to the salad. You could also use apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar.
honey – adds a little sweetness to the dressing without using refined sugars. You could also swap the honey with maple syrup if you don’t have honey on hand.
garlic + ginger – fresh garlic and fresh ginger are definitely best!
How to Make Thai Chicken Salad
Prepare ingredients. Chop and slice the napa cabbage, carrots, red bell pepper, cilantro, green onions. You can also shred or chop the cooked chicken.
Make the dressing. Combine all the ingredients for the ginger sesame dressing in a medium jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously to emulsify. You could also blend the ingredients in a high-powered blender or food processor until smooth. Set aside.
Assemble the salad. To make the salad, assemble all the ingredients in a large serving bowl and drizzle with the ginger sesame dressing. Sprinkle with extra cilantro, serve and enjoy!
The ingredients in this salad would also taste amazing served as lettuce wraps or wrapped in wonton wrappers for a tasty appetizer!
Other Additions
Add in more veggies such as snap peas, slices of cucumber, shredded zucchini or even asparagus.
Switch up the protein by using shrimp, salmon or even ground pork, turkey or chicken.
Go meatless by using tofu (highly recommend marinating it in some dressing!) or leaving the protein out of this salad all together.
Make this more filling by adding your favorite noodles such as soba noodles, ramen noodles or even lo mein.
If you love crunch, swap out the wonton crisps for chopped peanuts or other nuts for a fun variation.
Can this Salad be Prepped in Advance?
Absolutely! In fact I love prepping everything in advance so that I can easily throw this salad together for an easy lunch or as a delicious side dish with my dinner. In order for the lettuce and cabbage to stay fresh and prevent wilting, I like to store everything in separate containers until I’m ready to assemble and toss together.
Pre-slice the carrots, red bell pepper and green onions, storing them in a sealed baggy or sealed container.
Shred some cooked rotisserie chicken (or use any other leftover chicken you may have on hand) and store separately in the fridge.
Blend together the ingredients for the sesame ginger dressing and store in a sealed mason jar in the fridge. Just before serving, let the dressing sit at room temp for about 10 minutes to let the oil become liquid again and give the dressing a good shake or whisk to mix everything together. This dressing will last up to a week in the fridge.
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Prepping and Storage
This crunchy Thai chicken salad will last up to 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator stored in a sealed, airtight container. If planning store for later, I don’t recommend dressing the salad until right before eating to keep the salad as fresh and crisp as possible.
More Salads You’ll Love
Blackened Shrimp and Corn Salad
Hope you all enjoy this Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad and if you love this recipe as much as we do, please leave me below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!
Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad:
4 cups shredded napa cabbage3 cups cooked shredded chicken I used rotisserie2 cups grated or matchstick carrots1 red bell pepper julienned1 cup fresh cilantro chopped1/2 cup green onions chopped1/2 cup wonton crisps or you could use chopped peanuts
For the Ginger-Sesame Dressing:
3 Tbsp rice vinegar2 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce2 cloves garlic minced2 Tbsp honey1 Tbsp fresh ginger peeled and minced2 tsp toasted sesame oil3 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Video
Nutrition
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