Chopped Thai Crunch Salad with Sweet and Spicy Dressing
Yield: 6Servings
Prep Time: 1 hourhr30 minutesmins
Cook Time: 12 minutesmins
Total Time: 1 hourhr42 minutesmins
Ingredients
Chicken:
2tablespoonsoil
2tablespoonslow-sodium soy sauce
¼cuprice vinegar
1tablespoonlime juice, from about 1 lime
½teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoonpepper
1 ½poundsboneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Vinaigrette:
4tablespoonsrice vinegar
4tablespoonssweet Thai chili sauce
1teaspoonsesame oil
Salt and pepper, pinch of each
Peanut Dressing:
¼cupcreamy peanut butter
2tablespoonslow-sodium soy sauce
1tablespoonrice vinegar
1tablespoonThai sweet chili sauce
2tablespoonsvery hot water, plus more as needed
Salad:
4cupschopped romaine lettuce
2cupschopped napa cabbage
1cupchopped red cabbage
1cupdiced cucumber, peeled or not
1cupedamame
1cupsmall diced carrots
1cupchopped red bell pepper
4green onions, white and green parts finely chopped
1cupchopped cilantro
Peanuts for topping, optional
Instructions
For the chicken, whisk together the oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a ziploc bag or shallow dish and cover with the marinade. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or up to 24 hours (the longer it marinates, the better the flavor). Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill 6-7 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and let cool. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
For the vinaigrette, combine all the ingredients in a liquid measure or small mason jar and whisk (or shake) until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use. The dressing can be made up to a week in advance.
For the peanut dressing, whisk together (or again, shake in a mason jar), all the ingredients until well combined. Add additional hot water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dressing is smooth and thin enough to drizzle.
In a large bowl, toss together all of the salad ingredients with the cooled and chopped chicken. Pour the vinaigrette over the top and toss until the ingredients are coated with the dressing.
Serve the salad with the peanut dressing on the side to drizzle on top.
Notes
Adaptable: the salad ingredients are very adaptable. We've made this before and omitted the red cabbage entirely, adding a bit more napa cabbage - you can definitely play around with all of the fresh salad ingredients.