Thai Crunch Salad with Peanut Dressing is a light and healthy salad recipe that's packed with craveable flavor and crunch!
“Restaurant quality delicious! My husband and I couldn’t stop eating it. So simple and the dressing was fabulous.”
Raise your hand if you’re craving something fresh, healthy, and NOT made entirely from butter and/or sugar?
Man I love the holidays but over the past few weeks I have eaten crazy amounts of sugar cookies, plenty of Puppy Chow and boatloads of bark. It’s been fun but right now all I want to do is eat a MASSIVE salad. The little boys and I were at my parent’s house yesterday where I made Lincoln a healthy snack of sliced apples and peanut butter…then sat down and chowed down on Lay’s potato chips. #WHY My point is, unhealthy habits beget unhealthy habits and this freight train needs to be stopped.
Thai Crunch Salad with Peanut Dressing is just the thing to do it!
Watch How to Make It
Crispy coleslaw mix is combined with green onions, red bell pepper, cilantro, peanuts, and chicken then tossed with an easy Thai Peanut Dressing that I had to double the amounts for in the final recipe because I spoon drank too much and didn’t have enough left to dress the salad with.
What can I say, self control is not one of my strengths.
This healthy salad recipe is super crunchy and filling, plus if you’re a fan of mason jar salads – these work beautifully! Scoop several Tablespoons of the dressing into the bottom of a 16oz mason jar then layer in coleslaw > red pepper > chicken > green onions > peanuts > cilantro. Pour onto a plate at lunchtime, and you’re set. Let’s do this!
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Pin ItHow to Make Thai Crunch Salad
Start by adding bagged coleslaw mix (green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots,) chopped cilantro, peanuts, and green onions, plus red bell pepper cut into matchsticks, and shredded chicken breast into a large bowl. I poached my chicken breast for about 10 minutes before shredding, but you can cook it any way you like and/or use rotisserie chicken.
How to Make Peanut Dressing
To a mason jar or small bowl add peanut butter, honey, warm water, gluten-free Tamari, rice vinegar, lime juice, toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil, ground ginger, fresh garlic, salt, and pepper then shake or whisk to combine. Whew! Sounds like a lot of ingredients but I always have everything in the house.
Drizzle the dressing on top then toss well and scoop into two bowls with extra lime wedges for drizzling.
I hope you love this fresh and healthy, yet fun and filling salad – enjoy!
More Fork Busting Salad Recipes
- Healthy Chickpea Salad
- Italian Quinoa Salad
- Chicken Caesar Salad Pasta
- Big Mac Salad
- Jennifer Aniston Salad
- Italian Sub Salad
- Southwestern Chopped Salad
- Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups coleslaw mix, green cabbage, red cabbage, carrot mix
- 1/2 red pepper, sliced into thin matchsticks
- 1 chicken breast, cooked then shredded
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 3 Tablespoons peanuts, finely chopped
- 3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
For the Thai Peanut Dressing:
- 4 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 2 Tablespoons hot water
- 1-1/2 Tablespoons gluten free reduced-sodium Tamari, or soy sauce if not GF
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 lime, slice remaining 1/2 lime into wedges
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon heaping ground ginger
- 1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
- salt and pepper
Directions
- Add ingredients for Thai Peanut Dressing into bowl then whisk to combine. Taste then adjust lime juice for more acid, and/or add water to thin if necessary.
- Add remaining ingredients into a large bowl. Drizzle desired amount of dressing on top then toss well to combine. Scoop into bowls then serve with lime wedges.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
great alternative salad for me, thank you, I need a new and totally different salad to add to my regular recipes for a little more variety, yes I know how it goes, Lays potato chips have been the source of my downfall too! It’s also funny how you fall into stuff like that when you go somewhere where you developed a lot of habits, like your parents house!
With all the treats I’m trying to get in as much produce as possible but it can definitely be challenging!
This looks so delicious! I cannot wait to try it.
Looks amazing and is definitely going on my meal plan for next week! This reminds me of the Chinese chop salad at noodles & co which is one of my favorites. Thanks so much and happy Christmas to you and your family!
OMG, this is fantastic! I love this dressing!!!! I just made this for my dinner as my husband and son are out Christmas shopping. I used coconut aminos instead because that’s what I use. Will definitely be making this alot more.
Hey Kristin! I love the idea of this salad, and can’t wait to make it soon. Quick question. I see what appear to be crispy wonton strips in your photos, but don’t see them listed in the ingredients list or in the recipe steps. Please advise at your convenience. Thanks in advance, and Merry Christmas!
Hi Lynn, Merry Christmas to you too!! Maybe what appears to be wonton strips is larger strips of cabbage? The only ingredients in the photos are the ones in the recipe. I hope that helps!
Got it! Thanks so much for getting back to me! I still might add a few of those (or your chili lime crunchies – delicious!) for added crunch and texture! ?
This is EXACTLY what I need in my life right now!
I woke up this morning to the thought “I need some veg in my life!” Too much Chex Mix lately, so this is PERFECTION. Thanks!
This looks so good! It looks pretty easy to make too, which is a bonus around this busy time of year.
Reminds me of the Luau salad at Cheesecake Factory – which is SO yummy!
I was thinking the exact same thing!!! But this looked like a much healthier and cheaper version of the luau salad – win win!
This is just what we need next week to get out of the sugar coma we’ll be in from all the Christmas treats!
THIS. I need some veggies in my life. Looks amazing. Have a merry Christmas!
Hi! How long do you think the dressing would be good for if made in advance?