Spicy Thai Chicken Salad Recipe With Honey
Spicy Thai chicken salad recipe with honey packed with crunchy vegetables and tossed with an irresistibly sweet, tangy, and spicy dressing. This healthy dish is perfect for meal prep or a light meal without too much hassle.
Spicy Thai chicken salad recipe
This Thai spicy chicken salad is perfect for anyone on a diet or who likes to track calories. It’s low-carb and totally healthy, so you can enjoy it guilt-free.
The best thing about this has got to be the dressing. A zesty Thai chili lime dressing with the perfect balance of sweet, sour, and savory.
For protein, you got options. I like to used grilled chicken pieces, but you can use shredded chicken like rotisserie chicken as well. Both are great, but if you’re doing meal prep, I suggest using shredded chicken. Grilled chicken pieces might become dry, and no one likes dried out chicken.
This chicken salad is loaded with Southeast Asian flavors coming from oyster sauce, golden mountain sauce, and sesame oil.
I used a mix of fresh veggies: tomatoes, carrots, radish, shallots, crunchy cucumber, crisp lettuce, and sweet mango slices. So good!
To top it off, sprinkle in some roasted peanuts for that addictive crunch and a hint of nutty goodness. Feeling bold? Add a dash of red chili flakes for that extra kick! And let’s not forget the finishing touch: fresh cilantro to bring everything together.
Can’t get enough of spicy Thai salads? These are some of my best salad recipes:
4 Reasons to try this spicy Asian chicken salad
- You can customize it with your favorite vegetables. This easy chicken salad recipe is incredibly versatile. Prefer bell peppers, parsley fresh mint, purple cabbage or others? Just toss them into the salad and make it your own.
- Easy vegetarian salad options. Swap the chicken for tofu and more veggies. Swap out the oyster sauce for mushroom soy sauce. Turn it into a spicy vegetarian salad that’s packed with flavor.
- Delicious, bold & vibrant flavors. This isn’t a boring salad. Asian salads are known for their bold, spicy flavors. This recipe for spicy chicken salad is sweet, savory, low-carb, healthy crunchy, fresh, and easy to whip up for a refreshing summer salad.
- You can customize the heat for the family. This salad is totally a family-favorite. You can adjust the number of chilies or use mild chilies like jalapeños to make it suitable for kids. Alternatively, you can remove the seeds of your Thai chilies if you’re not fond of spicy food.
Ingredients
Ingredients can be sourced at Asian grocery stores and Asian markets.
The exact measurements are in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Chicken marinade
- Chicken – For juicy, moist, and tender chicken, you want to choose a cut with a good balance of fat and meat. Bone-in and boneless chicken thighs are more flavorful and tender compared to chicken breasts. They’re also slightly higher in fat, so they tend to be juicier as well. You can also use rotisserie chicken, or parts of the legs. I wanted to make a healthy salad, so I opted for low-fat chicken fillets. I’ll show you how to marinate chicken fillets Thai-style, which results in juicy and tender meat.
- Honey – Healthy alternatives can be maple syrup, agave nectar, brown rice syrup, coconut nectar, and date syrup. Start with a small amount and adjust to taste. For Thai flavors, you can use palm sugar. Simply dissolve it into a bit of warm water over low heat on the stove.
- Golden mountain seasoning sauce – An umami rich ingredient of Thai cuisine which add extra flavor to the marinade.
- Oyster sauce – Oyster sauce is a common ingredient of Asian salads and marinades, adding an umami and salty flavor.
- Black pepper – Adds a subtle hint of spice to the chicken.
Dressing
- Fresh chili peppers – I used Thai chilies (bird’s eye chilies) which we grow in our garden. Alternatively, you can use Thai Jinda chilies. For a salad that’s better suited for the kids, use jalapeños or other mild chilies, or simply omit the seeds.
- Fresh lime juice
- Sesame oil
- Honey
- Garlic
vegetables & toppings
You can use most vegetables available at a local supermarket or at Asian grocery stores. These are the ones I used. Mix and match a combined weight of 18oz for the vegetables, according to your preference.
- Iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce
- Ripe mango
- Cucumber
- Tomatoes
- Radishes
- Shallots
- Carrots
- Dry roasted peanuts
- Thai chili flakes
How to make spicy chicken salad
To cook the chicken, fire up the charcoal grill, use a grilling pan, or bake the chicken to perfection in an oven or air fryer.
Total Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
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Marinate the chicken
1. Blend honey, black pepper, golden mountain seasoning sauce, and oyster sauce in a large bowl to create a marinade.
2. Thinly slice the chicken and add them to the marinade. Allow the chicken to soak in the flavors for at least 1 hour in your refrigerator.
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Grill the chicken
1. Cook the marinated chicken fillets over charcoal or in a grilling pan over medium-low heat. A 2-minute grill on each side of the thinly sliced chicken fillets should do it.
2. Once grilled, slice the chicken into small, bite-sized pieces.
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Make the salad dressing
In a separate bowl, combined chopped chilies, garlic, honey, lime juice, and sesame oil. Blend well to achieve a flavorful dressing.
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Toss your spicy Thai chicken salad
Combine the grilled chicken cuts and your choice of fresh vegetables in a large serving bowl. Before serving, drizzle with the prepared dressing, sprinkle a handful of roasted peanuts, and enjoy.
Tips and tricks
- Brush the grill with oil. Before grilling, apply a small layer of oil to the grill to prevent the chicken from sticking to it.
- Add more flavor. Boost this Thai chicken salad with some Thai peanut sauce, peanut butter, chili garlic sauce, Thai hot sauce (sriracha), Thai chili flakes, or Thai chili paste.
- Prep ahead. The vegetables and the chicken can be prepared a day ahead and stored in the fridge.
Kitchen tools
- Cutting board and chef’s knife
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Grilling pan & tongs
- Large mixing bowls
Variations
- Fruit alternatives: Swap out the mango for pomegranate, strawberries, pineapple chunks or ripe papaya. This makes it even more refreshing.
- More vegetables: Baby spinach, sweet corn, mint, or others.
- Other protein: Replace the chicken with grilled shrimp. Seafood lovers can toss in squid or crab sticks.
- More nuts: Instead of roasted peanuts, try cashews, almonds, or walnuts.
What to serve with chicken salad
- Make spicy Thai chicken salad wraps. Grab tortillas or lettuce leaves, add in your salad, and roll it up. Hands-down one of the best ways to eat this salad.
- Serve with fruit on the side. Slices of cool watermelon, pineapple chunks, fresh coconut water, and so on.
- Serve with one of my other Thai salads.
To serve to kids, simply omit the fresh chilies or remove the seeds.
Tip: This is the perfect summer salad to serve as a side-dish with a family barbecue.
How to store
Leftovers are best stored in your refrigerator, placed in an airtight container like a mason jar or in a bowl sealed with plastic wrapper. If you can, store the dressing separately, this will prevent the crunchy vegetables in the salad from turning soggy.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s)
How many calories are in a Thai chicken salad?
The calories in a Thai chicken salad varies greatly depending on the recipe used, the portion size, and the ingredients. An average Thai chicken salad contains approx 300 to 500 kcal. This healthy salad recipe contains 340 kcal per portion, making it a delicious and healthy choice.
Can this salad be made with other meat?
Yes, you can absolutely replace the chicken in this salad for any protein you prefer. Pork, beef, tofu, shrimp, or others.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! You can combine the dressing, and pre-cut the vegetables. I suggest grilling the chicken right before you’re ready to serve.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
Some oyster sauces contain wheat-based soy sauce, so it’s important to check the labeling and look for gluten-free oyster sauce if needed. Additionally, golden mountain seasoning sauce can sometimes contain wheat-based soy sauce as well.
More Thai salads you’ll love
- Thai peanut chicken pasta salad
- yum kanom jeen – An authentic, cold Thai rice noodle salad.
- Thai corn salad
- Yum talay – A mix of fresh seafood with a tangy and spicy dressing, plus healthy greens.
- Yum nua – A crazy delicious grilled beef salad with crisp vegetables and a delightful dressing.
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Spicy Thai Chicken Salad Recipe With Honey
Ingredients
FOR MARINATING
- 10.5 ounces chicken fillet, thighs, ...
- black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon golden mountain seasoning sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
FOR THE DRESSING
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 limes
- 2 fresh chilies chopped
- 0.5 cloves garlic chopped
VEGETABLES & TOPPINGS
- tomatoes diced
- carrot grated
- radish thin slices
- shallots thin slices
- cucumber diced
- lettuce roughly chopped
- mango grated
- roasted peanuts optional, to taste
- red chili flakes optional, to taste
- cilantro optional, to taste
Instructions
MARINATE THE CHICKEN
- Blend honey, black pepper, golden mountain seasoning sauce, and oyster sauce in a large bowl to create a marinade.
- Thinly slice the chicken and add them to the marinade. Allow the chicken to soak in the flavors for at least 1 hour in your refrigerator.
GRILL THE CHICKEN
- Cook the marinated chicken fillets over charcoal or in a grilling pan over medium-low heat. A 2-minute grill on each side of the thinly sliced chicken fillets should do it.
- Once grilled, slice the chicken into small, bite-sized pieces.
MAKE THE SALAD DRESSING
- In a separate bowl, combined chopped chilies, garlic, honey, lime juice, and sesame oil. Blend well to achieve a flavorful dressing.
TOSS THE SALAD
- Combine the grilled chicken cuts and your choice of fresh vegetables in a large serving bowl. Before serving, drizzle with the prepared dressing, sprinkle a handful of roasted peanuts, and enjoy.
Notes
- Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
- For the vegetables, I used a total of 18oz altogether. Mix and match to your personal preference.
- Don't use all salad dressing at once. You'll want to keep some of the dressing for possible leftovers.
- Pair with Thai peanut sauce for an extra sweet and nutty flavor.
