Description
This Thai Chicken Salad with Light Peanut-Lime Dressing is a vibrant, refreshing dish perfect for a quick, healthy meal. It combines a crunchy slaw mix with colorful bell peppers, sweet apple, and tender chicken, all tossed in a tangy, light peanut-lime dressing infused with ginger and a hint of spice. Garnished with crunchy peanuts and toasted sesame seeds, this salad offers a perfect balance of textures and bold flavors in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 5 heaping cups slaw mix
- ½ small red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded, thinly sliced
- ½ small yellow bell pepper, stemmed and seeded, thinly sliced
- 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced (about 1 lb)
- 1 honey crisp apple, chopped
- ½ cup shelled edamame, thawed if frozen
- ½ cup cilantro leaves
- ½ cup scallion greens, chopped
- ¼ cup dry roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Dressing
- ½ cup PBfit peanut butter powder (or PB2)
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 3 tablespoons water
- 4 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari)
- 4 teaspoons maple syrup (or sugar free syrup)
- 1 ½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil (or avocado oil)
- 2 to 3 teaspoons sriracha (or sambal oelek, omit if you prefer no spice)
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger (or ginger paste)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter powder, lime juice, water, low sodium soy sauce, maple syrup, toasted sesame oil, sriracha, and grated ginger. Whisk all ingredients together until the dressing is smooth and well blended.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl or divide among four meal prep containers, add the slaw mix, thinly sliced red and yellow bell peppers, cooked shredded chicken, chopped honey crisp apple, thawed shelled edamame, fresh cilantro leaves, and chopped scallion greens. Gently toss the ingredients together to combine.
- Serve or Store: If serving immediately, drizzle the prepared peanut-lime dressing over the salad, then sprinkle with roughly chopped dry roasted peanuts and toasted sesame seeds. For meal prepping, transfer the dressing to small separate containers and keep it refrigerated; toss with the salad just before serving to maintain freshness and crunch.
Notes
- Use gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free version.
- Omit sriracha or substitute with a milder chili sauce if you prefer less heat.
- Apple adds sweetness and crunch; feel free to substitute with pear if desired.
- Thaw frozen edamame before adding to the salad to avoid excess moisture.
- Store dressing separately if preparing salad in advance to keep ingredients fresh.
- This salad makes a great meal prep option and stays fresh for up to 2 days refrigerated without dressing.
