This incredibly delicious Thai Peanut Chicken Salad will knock your socks off with its sweet and spicy flavor!

Thailand has a way of taking the simplest food items and turning them into masterpieces of flavor. And this Thai Peanut Chicken Salad is the same way!

This salad plays around with different textures, it has the crunch of the cabbage and the tender juicy chicken. And the fresh flavors really pop out on this one! Cilantro and lime juice adds liveliness to the salad while the peanut and sesame oil add flavors of roasted goodness. The chili paste brings a depth of flavor, while not being too spicy. And the honey sweetens blends in to make the whole dish delicious.

This dish has several steps but they’re easy to complete and you’ll be surprised how quickly this dish comes together.

If you like Thai flavors, which I do, Then you should look at some of my other Thai inspired dishes! Such as:

Thai Curry Chicken – This is a warm and comforting dish with the flavors of coconut, garlic, ginger, and harrisa. It’s a flavor explosion and so simple to make!
Thai Peanut Sweet Potato Noodle Salad – Sweet potatoes are the noodles in this dish! And it’s a great low carb option to regular noodles. This dish is delicately balanced and not overwhelming when it comes to sweetness
Thai Peanut Dip – Sesame and soy sauce kick this chip dip up a notch!
Thai Peanut Chicken – Want a warm chicken dish? This is the one. With many of the flavors in our salad along with basil and coconut milk, this dish warms you up in all the best of ways.

And I even thought of desert! My Thai Tea Cookies are the perfect afternoon snack or after dinner sweet. They have all the flavors of Thai tea – anise, cardamom, vanilla, and turmeric – making them irresistibly delicious.

To begin, let’s look at our four steps. You’ll be preparing a sauce/marinade, cooking your chicken, making a salad and salad dressing. To begin, grab a bowl that’s large enough to accommodate your marinade ingredients and chicken.

Prepare your marinade by mixing the sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar or lime juice, chili paste, honey or brown sugar, peanut butter, garlic, and crushed red pepper together. Next, you’ll coat the chicken with it. You can cook the chicken immediately or marinate it in the fridge for an hour for more flavor and tender chicken. Discard marinade after use.

Next, slice your chicken into pieces. You can cook, grill, or bake it, depending on your preference. Cook the chicken until the internal temp reaches 165°. Using a cast iron skillet for this is wonderful as it gives the chicken a nice sear and color. Plus the cooking time goes quicker!

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the salad and dressing.

Cut up your cabbage, lettuce, carrot, peppers, cilantro, and green onion. Arranging the now bite-sized items around the bowl for a nice presentation.

Mix the dressing together by mixing the sesame oil, lime juice, honey, peanut butter, chili paste, and salt and pepper to taste.

Next, you have the option to toss the dressing with the salad, and then top it with the chicken, or you can serve the dressing on the side or pour it over the top.

Once the chicken is done cooking, place it on the salad and serve.

This salad plates up nicely for meal prep as well!

I don’t have a meat thermometer, how can I tell if my chicken is done?

A thermometer is the best tried and true way. However, if you don’t have one, you may cut into one of the pieces of chicken. If there’s no pink and the meat is white throughout, it’s done.

What kind of peanut butter is best?

An unsweetened kind is the best, but use any type of peanut butter or nut butter you have on hand to keep it simple.

What if I don’t have sambal oelek chili paste, what can be used as a replacement?

If you have another chili paste go right ahead and use it, but once you use Sambal Oeleck you may never buy another. Sriracha is a good replacement, but it’s spicier.

I don’t have a meat thermometer, how can I tell if my chicken is done?

A thermometer is the best tried and true way. However, if you don’t have one, you may cut into one of the pieces of chicken. If there’s no pink and the meat is white throughout, it’s done.

What kind of peanut butter is best?

An unsweetened kind is the best, but use any type of peanut butter or nut butter you have on hand to keep it simple.

What if I don’t have sambal oelek chili paste, what can be used as a replacement?

If you have another chili paste go right ahead and use it, but once you use Sambal Oeleck you may never buy another. Sriracha is a good replacement, but it’s spicier.

Add in some chopped peanuts or cashews for a great crunch and add in some pineapple for a great sweet flavor.

If you’d like another easy and delicious chicken recipe, give my brown sugar soy chicken recipe.

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