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Thai Chicken Salad Recipe

This Thai Chicken Salad recipe has a spicy Ginger-Lime dressing that will find yourself hopelessly addicted too! Tossed Napa cabbage, red pepper, carrots, and scallions and topped with fresh basil, cilantro, and cashews, you have a healthy chicken salad recipe that feels like anything but a sacrifice. 
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Diet Gluten Free
Keyword Thai
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 454kcal

Equipment

  • Large Saute Pan
  • Blender

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 teaspoon salt to taste
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon gresh ground black pepper

Dressing

  • 4 tablespoons lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce Red Boat brand
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger peeled and grated
  • 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon honey to taste
  • 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salad

  • 4 cups shredded Napa cabbage
  • 1 red pepper or yellow or orange, diced
  • 3 carrots grated
  • 2 scallions chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh basil torn
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • ¼ cup cashews chopped

Instructions

Chicken

  • Heat coconut oil over medium high heat.
  • Season the chicken with salt, garlic powder, and pepper.
  • Add chicken and saute until browned and the chicken is fully cooked, about 10 minutes.
  • Allow to cool and shred chicken

Dressing

  • Make dressing by whisking together lime juice, fish sauce, ginger, and red pepper flakes. 
  • Slowly whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Add honey to taste. (You may also make the dressing in a food processor, blender or using an immersion blender.)

Salad

  • In a large bowl combine cabbage, red pepper, carrots, scallions, basil, cilantro and chicken. Toss with dressing. Top with cashews and serve.

Notes

Tips and Variations for Making a Thai Chicken Salad

  • Don't like cilantro?  Substitute green onions.
  • If you want to make this Thai Chicken Salad a little heartier, try adding in rice noodles.
  • The chicken can easily be cooked ahead in the slow cooker!  Try cooking it on low for four hours, adding in a little broth or water for extra moisture.
  • Make it Vegan by substituting cooked and crumbled Tempeh or using Gardein Chicken Scallopini.
  • If a Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Sauce is more your thing, make the recipe as instructed and substitute in this Peanut Sauce.
  • Skip the fish sauce in the dressing and instead use soy sauce.  (Or gluten free tamari.  Make sure it is organic!)
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Nutrition

Calories: 454kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1847mg | Potassium: 1362mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 9873IU | Vitamin C: 112mg | Calcium: 228mg | Iron: 3mg