Thai-inspired
Crispy Rice Cabbage Chicken Crunch Salad
A high-crunch chicken salad with shredded cabbage, crispy rice, cucumbers, herbs, peanuts, and a ginger-lime dressing.
I like this salad when I want the energy of takeout lettuce cups but need something that can sit on the table as dinner.
Cabbage brings the crunch, chicken adds enough protein, and the crispy rice makes the bowl feel more fun than a plain chopped salad.
The useful move is spreading cooked rice thinly in a hot skillet and leaving it alone long enough to crisp.
If it gets stirred constantly, it turns chewy instead of crackly.
The dressing is sharp on purpose.
Lime, ginger, fish sauce, and a little honey wake up the cabbage and keep the peanuts, rice, and chicken from tasting heavy.
For something else to cook in the same spirit, try Sesame Cabbage Chicken Crunch Salad or Crispy Cabbage Dumpling Bowls.
Directions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper, then sear in 1 tablespoon neutral oil for 5 to 6 minutes per side, until cooked through.
- Rest the chicken for 8 minutes, then slice thinly.
- Add another tablespoon oil to the skillet and press cold rice into a thin layer.
- Cook the rice undisturbed for 5 to 7 minutes, until golden underneath, then break it into crisp pieces.
- Whisk lime juice, fish sauce, ginger, 1 tablespoon honey, and 1 tablespoon water.
- Toss cabbage, cucumber, carrots, cilantro, chicken, and dressing in a large bowl.
- Top with crispy rice and peanuts right before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
Estimated per serving: 510 calories, 39 g protein, 45 g carbohydrates, 21 g fat.
Variations
Recipe Variations
- Use rotisserie chicken and crisp only the rice for a faster dinner.
- Swap peanuts for cashews or toasted sesame seeds.
- Use napa cabbage for a softer crunch.
Notes
- Use day-old rice so it crisps instead of steaming.
- Keep the crispy rice separate until serving if you are meal-prepping.
- Add sliced jalapeno or chili crisp if you want more heat.
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