May 8, 2023

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Thai Crunch Salad with Peanut Dressing

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This Thai-Inspired green salad is made with loads of fresh veggies and greens, crunchy peanuts and wonton strips, your choice of protein, and a creamy peanut dressing.

One of those salads I could eat every single day. ♡

This Thai-inspired chopped crunch salad is perfectly balanced with a delicious mix of fresh veggies, greens, herbs and peanuts, and brought together with the absolute yummiest sesame peanut dressing that you’re going to want to drizzle on everything. I love adding in a big handful of crispy wonton strips too for some extra crunch. And while some shredded chicken works great as a protein here, you’re welcome to sub in some cooked shrimp, salmon, ground pork, or roasted chickpeas, or just leave out the additional protein altogether — the salad will still be delish!

This salad also holds up nicely in the fridge for up to a day or so. So if you’re looking to do some meal prep the night beforehand, or you need a great salad to bring along to a picnic or bbq or potluck, this one is a fantastic recipe to have in your repertoire. Just do yourself a favor and make a double batch of that peanut dressing while you’re at it — you’re definitely going to want to drizzle it on everything.

Let’s make some salad together!

Thai Crunch Salad Ingredients

Here are a few brief notes about the ingredients you will need to make this Thai-inspired crunchy chopped salad recipe:

  • Cabbage: I really love using shredded Napa cabbage for this recipe, but feel free to use any other type of shredded cabbage, cole slaw blend, or salad greens that you love best.
  • Chicken (optional): I just shredded a rotisserie chicken to keep things quick and easy, but you could also dice or shred my baked chicken breasts recipe or read on below for alternatives to chicken.
  • Crispy wonton strips: I absolutely love the flavor and crunchy texture that a handful of crispy wonton strips adds to this recipe and highly recommend tossing some in! You can either purchase store-bought crispy wonton strips or make your own by cutting wonton wrappers into strips and frying in oil until crispy.
  • Fresh herbs: I highly recommend adding a generous amount of fresh cilantro and mint to this salad, which really freshens up the flavors. If you happen to have some fresh Thai basil on hand, it would be wonderful here too!
  • Veggies: We’ll use a simple mix of carrots, cucumber, red bell pepper, which I recommend thinly slicing or julienning for a nice chopped salad texture.
  • Scallions: We’ll slice both white and green parts to add to the salad.
  • Peanuts: Finally, we’ll toss in lots of salted peanuts (plain or dry-roasted) to add extra peanut flavor and crunch. Although if you cannot eat peanuts, please see below for some delicious nut or seed alternatives!

Peanut Dressing Ingredients

Here are the ingredients I recommend using to make a perfectly-balanced Thai peanut dressing:

  • Natural creamy peanut butter: I wrote this recipe using natural peanut butter made from 100% peanuts, which is what we keep on hand in our house. You’re welcome to swap in traditional creamy peanut butter, but you will likely need to thin the dressing out with a bit of extra water.
  • Lime juice: Freshly-squeezed lime juice serves as the acid in this dressing and adds such delicious, bright flavor.
  • Soy sauce: I recommend using low-sodium soy sauce, or you can use tamari as a gluten-free alternative.
  • Ginger and garlic: I recommend grating (or very finely mincing) fresh ginger and garlic so that they mix easily into this dressing.
  • Toasted sesame oil: A little goes a long way here, so I recommend adding just a teaspoon to perfectly round out the flavors of the dressing.
  • Water: Finally, feel free to add as much or as little water as needed to thin out the dressing to your desired consistency.

Recipe Variations

Here are some more yummy variations that you’re welcome to try with this Thai crunch salad recipe:

  • Use a different protein: Swap cooked shrimp, salmon, ground pork or roasted chickpeas for the chicken.
  • Use different nuts/seeds: Swap cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds or pepitas for the peanuts.
  • Use different veggies: Swap or add in any other salad-friendly veggies you love, such as avocado, broccoli, shredded Brussels or sugar snap peas.
  • Use chow mein noodles: Swap crispy chow mein noodles for the crispy wonton strips.
  • Add fruit: Add in some chopped mango, pineapple, or fresh mandarin slices.
  • Add some heat: Add some sliced jalapeño, serrano or Thai bird chiles for heat.

More Chopped Salad Recipes

Looking for more chopped salad recipes to try? Here are a few of our favorites:

Print

Thai Crunch Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

  • Author: Ali
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 0 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients:

  • 4 cups thinly shredded Napa cabbage
  • 2 cups (about 8 ounces) shredded cooked chicken
  • 2 cups fried wonton strips, homemade* or store-bought
  • 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2/3 cup chopped fresh mint
  • 2/3 cup julienned carrots
  • 2/3 cup julienned English cucumber
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced (both white and green parts)
  • 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup salted peanuts

Peanut Dressing Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup natural creamy peanut butter
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 large cloves garlic, grated
  • 1/4 cup water

Instructions

  1. Make the peanut dressing. Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl until evenly combined. If the dressing seems too thick, add in a tablespoon of water at a time to thin until it reaches your desired consistency.
  2. Toss the salad. Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl, drizzle with the dressing, and toss to combine.
  3. Serve. Serve immediately and enjoy!

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