Crispy Rice Salad (High Protein)

I love that crispy rice salads have become popular on social media because it’s a great way to show the versatility of a simple everyday ingredient like rice. Most crispy rice salads I’ve seen are made with vegetables, but I wanted something a little more substantial to use as a main dish salad. That’s why I used my simple crispy rice recipe to add the perfect flavor and texture component to this veggie and chicken salad that is nutritious and conjures a lot of Wow! responses whenever I serve it. 

Key Ingredients To Have On Hand

• Crispy rice – it wouldn’t be a crispy rice salad without the crispy rice! My method makes crispy clusters of rice by baking seasoned rice in an even layer on a baking sheet in the oven (sans parchment paper so it gets nice and golden brown). It’s easy and quick to do while I assemble the rest of the salad ingredients. Use any type of rice to make crispy rice, from white rice to long grain rice to day-old rice and leftover rice from takeout. 
• Coconut aminos – I like coconut aminos, which are a condiment similar to soy sauce, for flavoring the rice. It adds subtle sweetness and the right amount of salty flavor without being too salty. Low-sodium soy sauce or tamari are good replacements.
• Edamame – I use frozen shelled soy beans and love the creamy texture plus boost of protein they add. A chopped English cucumber or sliced Persian cucumber makes a nice replacement. 
• Shredded chicken – To increase the protein in this salad and make it a filling main dish, I added precooked shredded chicken. When I’m meal prepping at the beginning of the week, I make a batch of shredded chicken in the crockpot or in the instant pot. It’s such a versatile protein that I add to many recipes. 
• Ginger – I grab a small knob of fresh ginger from the produce section and use my microplane to grate it finely. It adds such fresh flavor and fragrance to the dressing. In a pinch, use 1 teaspoon ground ginger instead. 
• Lime – Fresh lime juice is another flavor popping ingredient in the dressing. I squeeze the juice from 2 large limes to get about ¼ cup of juice. The entire kitchen smells so good as this recipe is coming together. 
• Avocado – A pit and peel a medium-large avocado and then cut each half into dices. I add avocado to so many of my recipes because it’s one of my favorite ingredients. However, it’s fine to omit it.
• Pure honey – The only sweetener in this recipe is a little bit of pure honey that I add to the dressing. It dissolves well and is a nice complement to the salty and savory flavors from the other ingredients. In a pinch, use pure maple syrup instead. 

Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Make It Nut-Free

It’s simple to make this salad nut free by omitting the chopped roasted peanuts. If desired and tolerated, use chopped almonds, chopped cashews, roasted sunflower seeds, or toasted sesame seeds instead.

Add The Dressing, Toss, And Serve  

When all the components of the salad are ready, it’s time to combine them. I usually wait to do this until right before I plan to serve the salad so the rice can stay nice and crispy. To a large bowl, I add the shredded cabbage, cooked chicken, edamame, avocado, cilantro, green onions, and peanuts in piles. Then I pour the baked crispy rice over top and finish by drizzling the dressing over the salad ingredients. I give everything a nice toss and serve it up. 

Storing Leftovers

Store leftover salad in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just note: that the rice won’t be as crispy and the avocado may brown a bit as it’s stored in the fridge. I still think it tastes delicious, but for ultimate crispy texture and flavor, enjoy this salad the first time it’s served.

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The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.

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