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Thai Chicken Salad Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 96 reviews

A vibrant and refreshing Thai Chicken Salad featuring tender poached chicken breast, mixed lettuce, fresh vegetables, and a tangy, spicy dressing with chili garlic sauce and lime juice. This light and flavorful salad combines crunchy roasted cashews and fresh cilantro for an authentic Southeast Asian taste, perfect for a healthy lunch or light dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken

  • 180 – 220 g / 6 – 7 oz chicken breast

Salad

  • 150 g / 5 oz mixed lettuce leaves (or other of choice)
  • 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 small cucumber, sliced
  • 1/4 red onion, finely sliced
  • 1/2 large red chilli, deseeded and very finely sliced
  • 1/2 cup roasted cashews, unsalted preferred
  • 1/4 cup coriander / cilantro leaves
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander/cilantro stems

Dressing

  • 1 1/2 tsp Chilli Garlic Sauce
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice (or rice vinegar)
  • 2 tsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp canola oil (or vegetable, grapeseed, or other neutral oil)
  • 1 1/2 tsp sugar (any, white recommended)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Chicken: Take the chicken breast out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes to ensure even cooking.
  2. Poach the Chicken: Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the chicken breast, cover with a lid, and let the water return to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, remove the saucepan from the heat and let the chicken sit covered for 20 to 45 minutes to gently poach and cook through.
  3. Shred and Cool the Chicken: Remove the poached chicken from the water and shred it finely using two forks. Allow it to cool completely before mixing into the salad.
  4. Make the Dressing: In a jar or small bowl, combine the chilli garlic sauce, minced garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, canola oil, and sugar. Shake or whisk well to fully combine and emulsify the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed to achieve a balanced flavor with tangy, sweet, salty, and spicy notes.
  5. Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, place the mixed lettuce leaves, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, finely sliced red onion, sliced red chilli, roasted cashews, coriander leaves, and chopped coriander stems. Add the shredded chicken on top.
  6. Toss and Serve: Drizzle most of the dressing over the salad ingredients and gently toss to evenly coat everything. Serve immediately with the remaining dressing drizzled on top for extra flavor.

Notes

  • You can adjust the chili amount to taste or omit for a milder flavor.
  • Chilli garlic sauce adds both heat and umami; use a good quality one for best results.
  • Fish sauce provides saltiness and depth; substitute soy sauce for a pescatarian/vegetarian option but it will alter the flavor profile.
  • Poaching chicken gently helps retain moisture and tenderness compared to boiling.
  • The salad is best served fresh to enjoy the crispness of the vegetables and crunch of the cashews.

Keywords: Thai Chicken Salad, poached chicken salad, spicy Thai salad, healthy chicken salad, Thai dressing, cashew salad

Find it online: https://zarameals.com/thai-chicken-salad-recipe/