One of my nutrition goals this year is to incorporate a greater variety of plant foods into my meals. My dietitian colleagues Jessie and Jess love edamame, but it wasn’t until recently that I started purchasing it more often. Not only is it a delicious addition to meals (like in Jessie’s crispy rice salad recipe and Jess’ crockpot ramen recipe), but it’s so nutritious too, providing lots of protein and fiber.
When creating this Thai chicken salad recipe, I knew I would incorporate as many veggies as possible, edamame being one of them, plus a delicious Thai-inspired honey ginger dressing that ties everything together. It’s just as good as I imagined it would be, and it’s also a great option for meal prep lunches.
Recipe Highlights
Quick to make: With no actual cooking required, this entire recipe comes together with a prep time of just 20 minutes. All I have to do is chop the veggies, toss everything together, and it’s ready to serve.
A great for make-ahead: Unlike many salad recipes, this Thai chicken salad has a long shelf life, so it’s a great meal prep idea to make ahead of time and then enjoy for several days after. I portion servings into individual containers, store them in the fridge, and then just grab one to enjoy for lunch on busy days.
A good source of fiber and protein: This recipe is loaded with nutrition, providing plenty of protein from both animal and plant-based sources, as well as different types of fiber from a variety of plant-based foods. Every generous 1-cup serving contains 28 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber, as well as other key nutrients, including healthy fats, potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin C.
Ingredients To Have On Hand
Below are a few of my notes about some of the key ingredients in this salad:
- Shredded chicken: I often make a batch of slow cooker shredded chicken or grilled chicken breast during meal prep sessions to use in various recipes with shredded chicken, like this salad. When I don’t have cooked chicken ready to use, I pick up rotisserie chicken from the store and just pull and shred it from the bone.
- Asian salad dressing: I skip store-bought dressings, which are often made with too much added sugar and unnecessary additives. Instead I quickly make a simple homemade Asian-inspired dressing from rice vinegar (or rice wine vinegar), olive oil, soy sauce (or tamari or coconut aminos), toasted sesame oil, honey, ginger, garlic, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Jalapeño: This adds just a touch of heat without making the salad too spicy. I always remove the seeds and membranes before slicing. Then, if I have particularly hot peppers, I plunge them into a bowl of ice water for a milder spice level while still providing great flavor.
- Veggies: I build the base of this salad from cucumbers, sliced or shredded carrots, red bell pepper (or any color pepper), and green onions. This combination of veggies creates a refreshing flavor and satisfying texture. I’ve also added shredded red cabbage and green cabbage when I have it on hand and enjoy the extra crunch.
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Ingredient Spotlight: Edamame
Edamame is one ingredient I’ve been finding myself adding to more and more meals lately. And after Jessie told me that she keeps it on hand as a healthy whole-food snack for her and her kids, I started keeping a bag in my freezer. I especially love that edamame is both filling and nutrient-dense. Just one cup of shelled edamame packs about 18 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber, making it an easy way to add more plant-based nutrition to meals. Plus, edamame has a mild, slightly sweet flavor and tender texture that pairs well with so many dishes, like my teriyaki salmon bowls, this cold noodle salad, and these air fryer salmon bowls.
Tossing It All Together
Here are the quick steps to make my Thai-inspired chicken salad:
- Make the Asian salad dressing: Whisk all the ingredients in a liquid measuring cup, or shake them in a jar with a lid. Season with salt to taste, and set the dressing aside.
- Combine the salad ingredients: Add the chicken, edamame, avocado, fresh cilantro, sesame seeds, and veggies to a large bowl. Gently toss to combine.
- Toss the salad: Quickly whisk or shake the dressing to redistribute the ingredients. Then pour the dressing over the salad, and toss to combine and coat the ingredients.
- Serve: Sprinkle chopped peanuts or cashews over the salad, and serve right away.
For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.
Make It Nut Free
Differing from many other Thai-inspired salads made with a peanut dressing or peanut sauce, my recipe is free from peanut butter. I do add chopped peanuts, but to make this salad nut free, simply omit them.
Garnish And Enjoy
I top servings of this salad with extra fresh herbs (like chopped cilantro or Thai basil), chopped peanuts or cashews, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice for extra pops of fresh flavor and crunch. My husband and I might also add a dash of Sriracha to our servings to a touch of extra heat.
I find that this salad is more than filling enough to enjoy on its own. However, if serving a hungry crowd, I sometimes add a side of spring rolls or an Asian-inspired soup, such as egg drop soup or wonton soup.
If Meal Prepping This Salad
When I meal prep this salad, I hold off on adding the diced avocado and chopped nuts since they can get too soft over time. I store the servings in the fridge in individual containers. Then, just before eating, I add some fresh diced avocado and a sprinkle of chopped peanuts or cashews so they’re optimally crunchy and creamy.
Storage Instructions
On its own, the dressing will keep fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I often like to make an extra batch to use as a marinade for chicken and salmon.
Once assembled, the Thai chicken salad will stay fresh in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I don’t add the avocado and nuts until just before serving. Then, to serve, I give it a quick toss and add fresh avocado, plus chopped peanuts or cashews.
For my kids, I’ll spoon the leftovers into small soft or crispy tortillas to make tacos and wraps. I’ve also enjoyed the leftovers over Instant Pot jasmine rice to make Thai chicken salad bowls.
Frequently Asked Questions
This salad is super flexible, and many proteins work well in place of chicken. Try cooked shrimp, grilled or baked salmon, thinly sliced steak, ground turkey, or crispy tofu or tempeh instead. The key is using a simply seasoned protein so the bold dressing and fresh veggies still shine through.
Yes, coconut aminos can be used instead of soy sauce. This condiment has a slightly sweeter, milder flavor than soy sauce. It’s also lower in sodium and naturally gluten- and soy-free. If using coconut aminos, I add a small pinch of salt to the dressing.
Thai Chicken Salad Recipe
This easy Thai chicken salad recipe combines fresh veggies, cooked chicken, and a homemade fresh salad dressing for a filling, nutritious, no-cook main course dish that’s quick to prep.
Ingredients
For the Asian Salad Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons pure honey
- 2 teaspoons grated or minced fresh ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, grated or minced (~1 ½ teaspoons)
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt, or more to taste
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
For the Salad:
- 2 ½ cups cooked shredded chicken
- 2 ½ cups frozen shelled edamame, thawed (8 ounce bag)
- 2 mini cucumbers, thinly sliced (~1 cup)
- 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced or shredded (~1 cup)
- 1 small bell pepper, finely diced (~¾ cup)
- 1 medium avocado, diced (¾ cup)
- 4 green onions, ends trimmed and thinly sliced (½ cup)
- ½ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 small jalapeno, finely diced (2-3 tablespoons), seeds and membranes removed for less heat
- 1 tablespoon white or black sesame seeds
- ½ cup dry roasted peanuts or cashews, roughly chopped
- Optional for serving: lime wedges and additional fresh cilantro
Get Recipe IngredientsInstructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a 1-cup liquid measuring cup or a jar with a lid, whisk or shake together all of the dressing ingredients. Taste and adjust salt to taste, then set aside.
- To a large salad bowl, add the shredded chicken, edamame, cucumbers, carrots, bell pepper, avocado, green onions, fresh cilantro, jalapeno, and sesame seeds.
- Re-whisk or shake the dressing, then pour it all over the salad ingredients. Toss until well coated. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro if you’d like.
- Before serving, add the chopped peanuts or cashews.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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Notes
For a nut-free salad, omit the peanuts.
For gluten free, use tamari or coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce.
If making this salad for meal prepping, omit the avocado, chopped nuts, and garnishes until just before serving to prevent them from becoming too browned or soggy.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/6 of the recipe
- Calories: 394
- Fat: 25 g
- (Sat Fat: 4 g)
- Sodium: 632 mg
- Carbohydrate: 21 g
- (Fiber: 10 g
- Sugar: 8 g)
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 33 mg
Dietary
The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.
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