This Thai Chicken Salad has lots of crunchy texture and amazing flavor, from the chicken and cabbage to the peanuts, and the umami-packed sweet chili dressing. It’s a refreshing salad that comes together easily in just 20 minutes!
You’ll love the Thai-inspired flavors in every bite. I know I always keep coming back for more! It’s great for meal prep, quick on-the-go lunches, or an easy dinner.
This Thai chicken salad is packed with bold, sweet, savory, and tangy flavors that come together beautifully.
A few key ingredients make all the difference for the most refreshing and incredibly crisp salad! It’s got similar ingredients to my Bang Bang Shrimp Bowl recipe, as well as Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos.
This crunchy Thai chicken salad combines tender shredded rotisserie chicken for convenience and lots of crunchy fresh ingredients, such as Napa cabbage, peanuts, cucumbers, and carrots. To bring everything together, I make a Thai-inspired sweet chili dressing, which is packed umami flavors!
This is a great meal prep recipe! Great for quick on-the-go lunches during busy weeks, but also really great for a light dinner at home.
Big, bold salads like this one always come with a variety of colors, textures, and tastes, which is why I also love my Asian Chicken Salad, Strawberry Chicken Salad, and Mediterranean Chicken Salad just as much!
Why I love making this fresh Thai chicken salad:
- Easy to make. There are plenty of shortcuts you can take, like using cooked rotisserie chicken and pre-sliced carrots.
- The dressing! Umami-packed, sweet, tangy and slightly spicy. So good.
- So much texture! This salad has maximum crunch and freshness.
- Make ahead friendly. All of the components of this Thai chicken salad can be prepped ahead.
Jump to:
Ingredient Notes
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this crunchy salad. Below, I included a few notes from recipe testing that I hope you find helpful. Ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card down below, as always.
- Rotisserie chicken: Shredded. You can also use any leftover chicken – I always do when I make my Slow Cooker Whole Chicken!
- Napa cabbage, English cucumbers, carrots: Thinly slice your cabbage and your cucumbers – a mandolin is great for this. Julienne the carrots or use pre-cut matchstick carrots.
- Cilantro and scallions: Both pack freshness and flavor! If you’re not a cilantro fan, omit or use parsley.
- Roasted peanuts: For a delicious crunch in every bite. Peanut are also common in Thai cuisine, which is why I love using them here.
- Thai sweet chili sauce: I like using Mae Ploy’s brand. It’s the best tasting one I’ve tried so far.
- Rice vinegar: Less acidic and milder than white vinegar, it also adds a delicate sweetness. Do not substitute.
- Grated garlic and ginger: For amazing flavor and a light gingery kick!
- Sesame oil and fish sauce: Sesame oil provides a nutty aromatic flavor. Fish sauce adds even more umami and a hint of saltiness for balance.
- Honey: Options, to add extra sweetness without the heat of adding more chili sauce.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
It is all about the prep! Once everything is chopped, sliced, and diced, the rest is easy peasy. Let me show you how I make my favorite Thai chicken salad!
Step 1: Combine all of the sweet chili dressing ingredients into a bowl or mason jar, and whisk or shake to combine. Ingredients listed in the recipe card down below.
Step 2: In a large salad bowl, add the shredded chicken, cabbage, cilantro, carrots, cucumbers, scallions, and peanuts.
Step 3: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine until evenly coated.
Step 4: Serve with extra peanuts for extra crunch, and cilantro or scallions for garnish on top.
Tips for Success
- Pat dry your veggies before slicing. That way they will stay extra crunchy and not get soggy later.
- Use a sharp knife or a mandolin for slicing. And be careful when handling, it’s sharp!
- For a quick and easy shortcut, use a bag of pre-sliced matchstick carrots.
- Cilantro really adds freshness and flavor, but it’s not everyone’s favorite. You can leave it out or use parsley, if you prefer.
- Dressing: If you want less heat and more sweet, add some honey. If you prefer it even spicier without the added sweetness, use some sriracha sauce.
Prep Ahead
This Thai chicken salad recipe makes it easy to meal prep your lunch or dinner. Whenever I know I have a busy week ahead, this salad always comes to the rescue. It will last about 3-5 days in the fridge if you store the dressing separately.
Prep chicken and veggies: The rotisserie chicken is already cooked, so it’s a matter of shredding and storing. Then, wash, pat dry, and slice your veggies. Arrange in layers to prevent any chance of sogginess, and just toss to combine later.
Prep dressing: And of course, store the prepared dressing separately in an airtight container or a mason jar, refrigerated. When ready to eat, drizzle with dressing and enjoy. That’s it! Super easy.
More Salads for Meal Prep
Whether you’re meal prepping for the week or are just looking for an easy and light salad for dinner, I’ve got you! Give these protein-packed salads a try:
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Asian Chicken Salad
- Salmon Nicoise Salad
- Grilled Shrimp Salad
- Curried Chicken Salad
- Chicken Salad with Grapes
- BBQ Chicken Salad
If you want even more flavor, swap the fresh cucumbers with these Japanese pickled cucumbers! They are very crunchy and delicious.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You’ll love the added crunch it provides. It’s got a higher water content than green cabbage, which I find even more refreshing and crisper.
Sure, you can! Try cashews instead. I also like it with pumpkin seeds.
Thai sweet chili sauce has a very slight kick to it, but if you’re sensitive, you can use less of it and just add honey to achieve the right amount of sweetness.
This post was originally published in 2020 and updated in March 2025 to include new photos, information, and recipe updates.
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Thai Chicken Salad
Equipment
- Mandolin optional
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 4 to 5 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage
- 2 cups thinly sliced English cucumbers
- 1 cup shredded or matchstick carrots
- 1 cup chopped cilantro - packed
- 2 scallions, sliced
- 1 cup roasted peanuts - plus more for garnish
Sweet chili dressing
- ⅓ cup Thai sweet chili sauce - I use Mae Ploy's brand
- 3 to 4 tablespoons rice vinegar - adjust to taste
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, grated - use a zester
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 teaspoons honey - option for more sweetness
- Water - as needed to thin out dressing
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In a bowl or mason jar, combine all the sweet chili dressing ingredients. Mix or shake to combine. Adjust the amount of water as needed until you get the desired consistency. Note: if you want more sweetness without the heat of the chili sauce, add honey.
- In a large serving bowl, combine the shredded chicken, cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, cilantro, scallions, and peanuts.
- Add the prepared dressing and toss to combine. Serve with more peanuts as garnish. Enjoy!
Notes
- Fish sauce: It’s umami and flavor packed! I use Thai Kitchen brand.
- Napa cabbage can be eaten raw, it’s crunchy and crisp. For best texture, thinly slice.
- Thai sweet chili sauce (I use Mae Ploy brand) is not very spicy, but it has a slight kick to it. If you want to add sweetness without the spice, add some honey. If you want it spicier without the sweetness, add sriracha.
- Meal prep: Pat dry before slicing to prevent sogginess. Store sliced and chopped ingredients in containers. Make the dressing and refrigerate separately until ready to serve. It will last for 3-4 days.
Caron MORRIS says
LOVE this salad! The dressing is great.
Tania says
Thank you, Caron!
Caron says
What do you serve it with?
Tania says
Hi Caron! I like to serve it as a main dish salad, but if you’re looking for pairings, spring rolls would go great with it.