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This Thai Chicken Salad is packed with flavor and so easy to make! Simple soy-ginger marinated chicken, a creamy peanut dressing, and your favorite crunchy veggies all tossed together. It’s perfect for a quick lunch, dinner, or even meal prep. If you’re craving something simple, fresh, and delicious, this is the salad for you!
This delicious recipe is a game-changer. Packed with fresh veggies, tender chicken and a flavorful dressing, it’s as nutritious as it is delicious. The recipe is super versatile too—change the protein or add extra veggies and toppings to make it your own. Perfect for busy days or when you’re craving something wholesome and satisfying for the entire family!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A fresh take on the classic chicken salad, loaded with bold Thai flavors.
- Perfect for everything from meal prepping to impressing guests at a dinner party.
- The peanut dressing doubles as a marinade or dip for snacks.
- Customizable with your favorite veggies, proteins, and toppings for a great salad!.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Soy Ginger Chicken:
- Chicken Breast – tender and juicy, perfect for soaking up the flavors
- Soy Sauce – Gives the chicken a salty umami flavor.
- Fresh Ginger – Adds a fresh kick of natural spice to the chicken.
Peanut Sauce:
- Garlic – Elevates the dressing with rich, bold flavor.
- Hot Pepper – Adds a kick of spice to the dressing.
- Soy Sauce & Fish Sauce – The salty, flavorful backbone of the dressing.
- Vinegar & Lime Juice – Bright and tangy, balancing out the richness.
- Sugar – Balances out the salty and acidic flavors with sweetness.
- Olive Oil – Gives the dressing a smooth texture.
- Peanut Butter – Makes the dressing creamy and adds peanut butter flavor.
- Water – Adjust until you get the perfect salad dressing consistency.
Salad Ingredients:
- Romaine Lettuce – Crisp and refreshing, a perfect base for a healthy salad.
- Shelled Edamame – A protein-packed addition to amp up the nutrients.
- Red Cabbage & Shredded Carrots – Add a pop of color and crunch.
- Crispy Wonton Chips or Chow Mein Noodles – Add an irresistible crunch to every bite.
How To Make Thai Chicken Salad
- Prepare and cook the chicken: Whisk the soy sauce and ginger together, then add the chicken breast. Cover and marinate for at least one hour. Heat the grill to medium-high heat and cook the marinated chicken for 5-8 minutes on each side or until internal temperature reaches 165F.
- Make the peanut dressing: In a large bowl, combine all of the dressing ingredients and whisk until smooth. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time and whisk until a salad dressing consistency is reached.
- Assemble the salad: Add the fresh salad ingredients to a large mixing bowl
along with the toppings. Add sliced chicken breast on top and drizzle with peanut sauce. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- If outdoor grilling isn’t an option, you can easily cook indoors using a skillet or grill pan set to medium heat. Simply add a bit of cooking oil to the pan before placing the chicken.
- The minimum marinating time for the chicken is 1 hour, but it can be marinated for up to 24 hours for the best flavor.
- Not a fan of spicy food, feel free to completely omit the hot pepper from the peanut dressing.
- If you’re short on time, bagged coleslaw mix with shredded carrot makes an easy way to prep the salad ingredients.
- This recipe is easy to scale into a big batch, making it perfect for meal prep, potlucks, or family gatherings. Just double or triple the ingredients as needed!
Variations
- For vegan Thai salad: Try using cooked cubed tofu or tempeh in place of the chicken. Chickpeas or white beans are also a great vegan substitute.
- Change up the protein by using chicken thighs, turkey tenderloin, or your favorite cut of pork. Steak marinated in soy sauce and ginger works well, too!
- Like it spicy? Just toss in some thin slices red chili peppers to give the salad a kick.
- To make the peanut dressing into a dip, keep the water out of the recipe unless it’s too thick when mixing. Add a small amount of water at a time to keep it as thick as you need.
- Instead of romaine lettuce, add a boost of nutrients and healthy greens by using thinly chopped kale.
- Give this salad a fruity twist by adding some freshly diced mango or pineapple as a topping.
- Extra veggies and topping ideas: Cilantro, sliced avocado, cucumber, red bell pepper, green papaya, green onions, red onion, sesame seeds, or cold noodles.
Other Salad Recipes
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- Cobb Salad
- Fresh Garden Salad
- Strawberry Spinach and Asparagus Salad
- Chicken Fajita Chopped Salad
Thai Chicken Salad
This Thai chicken salad has the perfect mix of veggies and grilled soy ginger chicken. It's served with a fresh peanut dressing!
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
For the dressing:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon minced hot pepper
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon fish sauce
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup water
For the salad:
- 4 cups romaine lettuce
- 1 cup cooked and shelled edamame
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- ¾ cup wonton crisps or chow mein noodles
Instructions
- To make the chicken, whisk soy sauce and ginger together in a small bowl. Place chicken in mixture and marinate in refrigerator for about one hour. After marinating, prepare grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat. Place the chicken on the grill directly over the fire and cook until the juices run clear and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 to 8 minutes on each side.
- To make the dressing, combine garlic, pepper, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, lime juice, oil and fish sauce in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add the peanut butter and water and whisk again until smooth and creamy.
- To assemble the salad, divide ingredients into 4 servings, layer with chicken and top with dressing.
Notes
STORAGE
If you’re making this recipe in advance, or for meal prep, or big batch – chop the salad ingredients and add the chicken without the peanut dressing. Store the salad ingredients with chicken, and peanut dressing in separate airtight containers for maximum freshness. When ready to eat, add the peanut dressing to keep the salad vegetables from wilting.
Soy ginger chicken will last in the fridge in an airtight container for 4-5 days while the peanut dressing will last up to 2 weeks in an airtight container or mason jar with a lid.
Nutrition
Serving: 0g, Calories: 436kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 35mg, Sodium: 1353mg, Potassium: 702mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 7765IU, Vitamin C: 17.6mg, Calcium: 93mg, Iron: 4.4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This salad is amazing! the dressing takes it over the top, so delish!
This salad is so good!
Looks amazing! Definitely not a boring salad!!