Name: Thai Chicken Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Anglo Thai
Ingredients: 1 Large (250-300g) Skinless Chicken Breast; 1 Tbsp Fish Sauce; 1 Tsp Brown Sugar; 1 Tsp Lemongrass Paste; ½ Tsp Vegetable Oil; ½ Tsp Black Pepper; 1 Green Birds Eye Chilli Pepper; 2 Garlic Cloves; 8 Cherry Tomatoes; 1 Cucumber; 1 Small Red Onion; 2 Spring Onions; 10g (½ Cup) Mint; 2 Sprigs Coriander; 15g (¼ Cup) Sprouted Onion Seeds (Optional); 75g (½ Cup) Unsalted Peanuts; 2 Tbsp Lime Juice; 1 Tbsp Fish Sauce; 1 Tbsp Neutral Oil (I use rapeseed aka canola oil); 1 Tsp Sugar; ½ Tsp Lemongrass Paste; 2 Red Chilli Peppers, I use more Thai birds eye chillies

Jump to Recipe

Thai chicken salad, a thinly sliced spicy chicken breast tossed with cucumber, onions, tomatoes & peanuts finished with a glorious dressing.

Marinade time aside this salad takes around 25 minutes to pull together and that includes roasting the chicken, it is just as good cold as it is warm.

Crunchy & spicy Thai chicken salad with peanuts.

Spicy Thai Salad

Main coarse salads are definitely a theme on my website this year. This spicy Thai chicken salad is the latest in an ongoing theme.

Dishes like duck salad, smoked mackerel salad, sausage salad, gammon salad, and peach & goats cheese salad have all proved to be really popular.

A simply roasted chicken breast marinated in lime juice, fish sauce, lemongrass, garlic and chilli forms the heart of this light and zingy salad.

That chicken breast is accompanied by tomatoes, cucumber and lots of onion and crunchy peanuts. It is all coated with a delicious dressing rocking more classic Thai style flavours.

It very much sits alongside my spicy Thai beef salad with the dishes influencing each other a great deal.

Overhead crunchy & spicy Thai chicken salad with peanuts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use Thai Birdseye Chillies?

Oh gosh no! All of my spicy recipes stress that tolerance to capsaicin is incredibly personal. Eating is not a competition and as a result, you should use chillies with a heat rating that you enjoy.

I would not skip the spice though because the flavours in this crunchy Thai salad are balanced for a little heat and it is off-kilter without it.

Why remove the seeds from the cucumber?

I do this all of the time, this is because the seeds are really heavy with water and it waters down the other flavours of the recipe.

What are sprouted onion seeds?

These are completely optional in this recipe but they add another layer of onion flavour. As the name suggests they are onion or nigella seeds that have been allowed to sprout.

I love them, they have a great subtle onion flavour and a bit of texture. They can be used in everything from a salad to dressings for dishes as diverse as minced pork salad or honey and soy salmon.

Close up crunchy & spicy Thai chicken salad with peanuts.

Serving Suggestions

As a straight-up main course salad, this spicy crunchy Thai chicken recipe needs nothing more than a fork and maybe a nice glass of Reisling.

But this salad is really versatile, it makes for a stunning sandwich filling! Add it to a well-buttered baguette and you have a fantastic sarnie with a banh mi vibe.

If you omit the chicken then this salad becomes a great side dish. You could serve it with everything from Thai chicken wings to my Thai tuna fishcakes.

Crunchy & spicy Thai chicken salad with peanuts cucumber & tomatoes in a white bowl.

Equipment Used

I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions you can ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

Stovetop.
Oven.
Oven-proof frying pan or skillet.
Chopping board.
Kitchen knife.
Ziploc bag or Tupperware box.
Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
Large salad bowl.

2 Servings

Thai Chicken Salad

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Marinade Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

A delicious, light but filling crunchy spicy Thai chicken salad featuring zingy, salty and fiery flavours so beloved of South East Asia.

Ingredients

For the Chicken & Marinade:

1 Large (250-300g) Skinless Chicken Breast
1 Tbsp Fish Sauce
1 Tsp Brown Sugar
1 Tsp Lemongrass Paste
½ Tsp Vegetable Oil
½ Tsp Black Pepper
1 Green Birds Eye Chilli Pepper
2 Garlic Cloves

For the Salad:

8 Cherry Tomatoes
1 Cucumber
1 Small Red Onion
2 Spring Onions
10g (½ Cup) Mint
2 Sprigs Coriander
15g (¼ Cup) Sprouted Onion Seeds (Optional)
75g (½ Cup) Unsalted Peanuts

For the Dressing:

2 Tbsp Lime Juice
1 Tbsp Fish Sauce
1 Tbsp Neutral Oil (I use rapeseed aka canola oil)
1 Tsp Sugar
½ Tsp Lemongrass Paste
2 Red Chilli Peppers, I use more Thai birds eye chillies

Instructions

Mash the garlic cloves.
Slice the green chilli pepper as finely as you can.
Place the chicken breast in a Ziploc bag or container with a lid and add the chilli and garlic.
Pour in the fish sauce and vegetable oil and then add the black pepper, brown sugar and lemongrass paste.
Try and leave the chicken to marinate for 1-2 hours but you will still get a good flavour after 10-20 minutes.
Heat an ovenproof frying pan or skillet over a medium, when it is hot add the peanuts and lightly toast keeping them moving all of the time, then remove and set aside.
Return the pan to a medium-high heat and when hot add the chicken breast presentation side down and cook until nicely coloured, approximately 3-4 minutes.
Flip this chicken and transfer it to a preheated oven at 180°C or 350°F until the internal temperature reaches 68-69°C (155°F), approximately 15-20 minutes.
Remove and rest the chicken under tin foil for 5-7 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 73°C or 165°F.
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and place them in a bowl.
Cut the ends off the cucumber then cut it in half, scoop out the seeds (and discard) then slice into half-moon shapes approximately 2-3mm (⅛") thick and add them to the tomatoes.
Peel the red onion, cut it in half and then cut it as finely as you can into half-moon shapes and throw them into the bowl.
Slice the spring onions into rounds as finely as you can and add them to the other ingredients in the bowl.
Clean and pick the mint and add it to the chopped vegetables along with the coriander and sprouted onion seeds.
Dice the chilli peppers for the dressing as finely as you can and add them to a jar.
Add the remaining ingredients for the dressing to the jar and give it a good shake,
By now the chicken should be rested and at temperature, thinly slice the chicken breast and add any resting juices to the dressing.
Add the chicken to the salad ingredients and throw in the toasted peanuts.
Pour over the dressing and give everything a good mix before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 620Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 106mgSodium: 1526mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 7gSugar: 18gProtein: 52g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Jemma

Monday 16th of July 2018

What a lovely wholesome summery salad! I love Thai flavours.

Brian Jones

Wednesday 18th of July 2018

Thanks Jemma... I don't get called 'wholesome' often ;)

Kelli Kerkman

This looks amazing! I love the flavors of Thai cuisine - this will make it into my lunch rotation for sure!

Have fun and enjoy.

Danielle

I am loving all the flavors is this salad. Fish sauce, curry, coconut milk....these are all my favorite things. Great recipe!

Thanks Danielle

Nathan Wyper

Wow, this looks amazing, i love thai spices they are always packed with so much flavour! Thanks

Thnks Nathan... Same here!

Jacqueline Debono

I love this kind of salad and the inclusion of so many wonderful flavours makes this a mouthwatering recipe. Def one I'd love to try!

Enjoy :)