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The Ultimate Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad with Creamy Peanut Dressing: Quick, Healthy & Perfect for Meal Prep

A vibrant mound of thai chicken salad featuring shredded chicken, cabbage, red peppers, and topped with crushed peanuts and cilantro.
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You can make this vibrant Thai Chicken Salad with a creamy peanut dressing in under 20 minutes. It delivers the bold, zesty, sweet, and savory flavors you want, packed with satisfying crunch from fresh vegetables and peanuts. This high protein salad is perfect for easy meal prep lunches or a light dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
  • 4 cups shredded Napa cabbage or coleslaw mix
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
  • 1/3 cup chopped roasted peanuts, for topping
  • 2 tablespoons crispy wonton strips (optional, for extra crunch)
  • 1/4 cup mandarin orange segments (optional)
  • For the Creamy Peanut Dressing:
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup warm water (or more, to thin)
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice, fresh
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari (for Gluten Free)
  • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon sriracha or chili garlic sauce (adjust to your heat preference)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, warm water, lime juice, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and sriracha until completely smooth. Add more warm water, one teaspoon at a time, until the dressing reaches your desired pouring consistency.
  2. Prepare the chicken: If you are not using pre-cooked chicken, cook the chicken breast now (grill, bake, or poach) and shred or dice it once cooled slightly.
  3. Assemble the salad base: In a large bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, carrots, and sliced red bell pepper.
  4. Combine ingredients: Add the shredded chicken, cilantro, and mint to the vegetable mixture.
  5. Dress the salad: Pour about half of the peanut dressing over the salad mixture. Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Add more dressing as needed, reserving some for serving if desired.
  6. Serve: Divide the salad among serving bowls. Top each serving with chopped peanuts and crispy wonton strips, if using. Serve immediately for maximum crunch, or store components separately for meal prep.

Notes

  • For a nut-free version, substitute sunflower seed butter for peanut butter in the dressing.
  • This salad keeps well for meal prep if you store the dressing separately and add the crunchy toppings right before eating.
  • If you prefer a tangier dressing over creamy, reduce the peanut butter slightly and increase the lime juice.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://miameal.com/thai-chicken-salad-quick-crunchy-recipe/