This weekend I convinced myself (with much encouragement from my mother) to complete the gaps in my lawn with sod. I don’t recommend this act solo, however, it comes with much self accomplishment once complete (my mom was right, as always). So, when the lawn was filled with lush grass around my new brick walkway, I decided it was only appropriate for have friends over for a dinner in the garden. I bragged about the dirty duty until the rain came… crushing the dream of my garden party. Instead, we enjoyed this super easy Grilled Chicken Chopped Thai Salad with a nice bottle of rose wine inside listening to the rain fall….nourishing my new sod. Winston, my pup, managed to say clean during all the sandy sod moving and muddy rain fall.
This salad is a winner. A nice spicy peanut and soy dressing evenly coating juicy grilled chicken and a variety of fresh crunchy vegetables. I used The Fresh Market’s Thai Curry Cashews for an extra sweet and savory crunch. This salad has enough substance for a dinner party but would be perfect for a lunch gathering too.
Grilled Chicken Chopped Thai Salad
Marinade
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
Salad
- 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, grilled
- 4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 4 cups napa cabbage, choppers
- 2 medium carrots, halved crosswise
- 1 cup edamame, cooked
- 1 cup red bellpepper, chopped
- 1 cup cucumber, chopped
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- ⅓ cup roasted cashews, chopped (I used The Fresh Market Thai Curry Cashews – also admiring their new Siracha 5 O’Clock Crunch Mix)
Peanut-Chili Vinaigrette
- 2 tsp. peanut butter (creamy)
- ½ tsp. red pepper flakes (use less or more per taste)
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp. water
- 2 tsp. rice vinegar
- ¼ tsp. sesame oil
- ½ tsp. lime juice
- 1 tsp. ginger, minced
- 1 medium garlic clove, pressed
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon siracha (optional for spice)
Grilled Chicken: Marinate the check for 8 to 12 hours in marinade mix.
Peanut-Chili Vinaigrette: Whisk all ingredients until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Salad: In a large bowl, combine all the salad ingredients. Drizzle with vinaigrette and mix thoroughly. Adjust seasoning to taste. Enjoy!
