Big Thai Chicken Salad

Big Thai Chicken Salad

What I love about the Big Thai Chicken Salad

This Thai chicken salad has definitely been a favourite of ours lately! The flavours are SO good and it’s loaded with protein and veggies so it’s a meal that you can feel good about. The salad is made up of savoy cabbage, baby spinach leaves, julienned carrots and lots of fresh herbs. I love the textures and crunch of this salad. And, of course the creamy peanut dressing totally makes it! Its the perfect lunch or light dinner for when you’re feeling like something fresh and healthy. It’s totally gluten-free and low-carb too which we love.

For the chicken, I highly recommend using boneless, skin-ON chicken breasts. Because the breasts are first seared in a cast iron pan, you have the opportunity to crisp up that skin really nicely. You can definitely use boneless, skinless breasts in a pinch (as the photos show). The breasts then are finished off in the oven so that they can cook through. The glaze adds such good flavour and cooks along with the breasts to create a sort of sticky and sweet sauce. The chopping takes a little but of extra time but it’s worth it!

Big Thai Chicken Salad

thai chicken, salad, peanut dressing, peanuts, spinach salad, cabbage, carrot, protein, low-carb, gluten-free, flavourful

lunch, dinner

Thai

Yield: 2

Author: Courtney Sketchley

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Big Thai Chicken Salad

This BIG Thai chicken salad is both delicious and satisfying and one of our fav ways to get our greens!

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 35 Min

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 4 cups tightly packed baby spinach leaves
• 4 cups savoy cabbage, thinly chopped
• 2 cups julienned carrots
• 1/3 cup thai basil leaves, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped peanuts, for serving

For the dressing:

• 3 tbsp smooth, natural peanut butter
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp soy seasoning
• 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce
• 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper

For the chicken:

• 2 boneless, skin-on chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce
• salt and pepper
• avocado oil, for frying

Instructions

Prep the salad:

1. Add the spinach, cabbage, carrots, thai basil and cilantro to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Make the dressing:

1. In a small mixing bowl, add the peanut butter, sesame oil, honey, garlic, lime juice, soy seasoning, chili garlic sauce and cracked pepper and whisk until smooth and fully combined.
2. Add the dressing to the salad and mix well until the vegetables are saturated and wilted. Set aside.

Cook the chicken:

1. Make the glaze: in a small bowl, add the sesame oil, honey, garlic, lime juice, chili garlic sauce and whisk until combined.
2. Preheat the oven to 400F.
3. Heat a cast iron pan on medium-high heat and add the avocado oil.
4. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides.
5. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken breasts skin-side down and sear about 2-3 minutes or until golden and crispy. Flip and repeat.
6. Flip the chicken breasts back to skin-side down and drizzle the glaze all over both breasts. Put the pan into the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until a thermometer reads 165F.
7. Remove the pan from the oven and baste the breasts with the remaining glaze and juices in the pan. Remove the breasts to a plate to rest for 2-3 minutes.
8. Slice the chicken into slices, plate the salad and add the sliced chicken on top of the salad.
9. Garnish with chopped peanuts and enjoy!

www.strawberrycreamkitchen.ca/blog/big-thai-chicken-salad

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