Thai Chicken Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing is bursting with flavor and is quick to pull together for a busy evening. The peanut dressing gets a little kick from a must-have pantry item you will use again and again. This is the perfect way to use up leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken.

Thai Chicken Salad on a white platter.


Thai Chicken Salad

The day before trash day is always a rude awakening. I’m always dumbfounded by the amount of leftovers that I end up tossing into the trash. My family hates leftovers. They refuse to eat them unless it’s unsauced pasta…you know…plain pasta.

In my efforts to waste less food, I developed this Thai Chicken Salad. It was created with the contents of my refrigerator trash day. Don’t worry if you are missing a few things, the recipe is a loose interpretation of many Thai Chicken Salads I’ve had over the years.

But the dressing…..you may want to be prepared for this one if you don’t have everything. The good thing about making the dressing is it will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week AND all the pantry items you need you’ll either already have OR you will find other uses for them in other recipes.

Thai Chicken Salad being served with tongs.

How to Make Thai Chicken Salad

Leftover chicken is a lifesaver for this Thai Chicken Salad….I’ve even use marinated, grilled chicken with jaw dropping results. It’s a great main course salad that will make your weeknight meal planning a little easier.

  1. Make the dressing. Add all the dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
  2. Make the Salad. Arrange the salad ingredients on a platter and toss to combine.
  3. Dress the salad. Pour the dressing over the salad and serve.

You can make the dressing a few days in advance and refrigerate. The flavor gets better the longer it sits and is amazing as a dipping sauce for chicken and more!

Ingredients for Thai Chicken Salad on plates
Thai Peanut Dressing in a food processor
Thai chicken salad being dressed with spicy peanut dressing in a glass pitcher.

Variations

This chicken salad is incredibly versatile and is a great way to use up ingredients you have leftover from other dinners during the week. Here are a few mix in ideas we love.

  • Cooked, leftover rice noodles
  • Crushed Instant Ramen Noodles
  • Leftover turkey
  • Pineapple
  • Chopped Cashews
  • Pickled Onion
Thai chicken Salad on a white platter ready to be dressed.

Serving Suggestions

These are a few recipes we like to pair with Thai Chicken Salad.

So spicy and flavorful, you’ll think you’re in Thailand….or not, but it’s really, really fresh and amazing. Trust me on this.

For more easy dinner ideas, follow us on Instagram and Facebook!

Thai Chicken Salad on a white platter.

Get the Recipe: Thai Chicken Salad Recipe

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Make short work of that leftover chicken with this easy Thai Chicken Salad and spicy peanut dressing!
5 from 3 votes
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Ingredients

For the dressing:

  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 lime, juiced and zested
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon red curry paste, or curry powder
  • 1 shallot, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chili paste
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

For the salad:

  • 2 radishes, thinly sliced
  • 1 head Napa cabbage, shredded
  • 1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast
  • 1 cup diced mango
  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced, seeds and stem removed
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
  • 2 scallions, green and white parts sliced
  • 1/2 English cucumber, sliced
  • 1/2 cup chopped carrots
  • 1/2 cup shredded purple cabbage
  • Bean sprouts, optional

Equipment

  • 1 food processor or blender

Instructions 

Make the dressing:

  • Add all the ingredients for the dressing to a bowl of a food processor.
  • Close the lid and process until smooth.
  • Chill for up to 5 days.

Make the salad:

  • Arrange the radishes and cabbage on a large platter or in a bowl.
  • Top with the chicken, cilantro, peanuts, scallion, cucumber, carrots, bell pepper, cabbage and mango.
  • Top with bean sprouts right before serving and drizzle with the dressing.
  • Serve immediately.
Serving: 0g, Calories: 438kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 1055mg, Potassium: 693mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 5455IU, Vitamin C: 13.2mg, Calcium: 70mg, Iron: 2.8mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Dinner, lunch, Salad
Cuisine: thai