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close up of spicy thai chicken salad garnished with peanut dressing and fresh avocado slices on white serving dish with speckled white background.
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5 from 9 votes

Spicy Thai Salad

Did you love the Panera Spicy Thai Salad that was discontinued? Well you can still enjoy that delicious salad with this copycat version featuring the same fresh, crunchy veggies with an irresistible peanut dressing topped with juicy chicken and soft udon noodles that we all love.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: dinner, lunch, Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: Asian, Thai
Diet: Low Lactose
Servings: 4
Calories: 498kcal

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl
  • strainer
  • Juicer
  • Tongs
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Knife
  • Cutting Board
  • skillet
  • Whisk

Ingredients

For the salad

  • 2 lbs chicken breasts
  • ½ tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp dried parsley
  • 1 package udon noodles Ka Me Stir Fry Noodles (200 g)
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 2 cups arugula
  • 8-10 basil leaves
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 avocado
  • ¼ cup green onion chopped
  • 1 cup purple cabbage chopped
  • 1 cup green cabbage chopped
  • 2 limes

For the spicy peanut dressing

  • 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
  • 1 tsp sriracha
  • ½ tbsp Thai chili paste
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp minced ginger from a jar
  • ½ tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp water

Instructions

Make Dressing

  • In a small mixing bowl, whisk together peanut butter, sriracha, Thai Chili Paste, rice vinegar, lime juice, minced ginger, soy sauce and water. It will combine easily and be slightly liquidy - that’s okay.
  • Set aside until ready to be used.

Prep Salad

  • Next, prepare the chicken. Heat a skillet to medium heat and grease with olive oil. Finely slice the chicken into thin strips. 
  • Add the chicken to your skillet and season with dried parsley. Flip the chicken strips 4-5 times while cooking to ensure they’re cooked (165°F internal temperature) and so that all sides get that caramelized texture. 
  • After the chicken is finished cooking, remove it from the pan and make the Udon Noodles according to the box instructions. I added 3 tablespoons of water plus 1 teaspoon of soy sauce and sautéed for 4-5 minutes until noodles were soft and cooked through. 
  • Next, prepare all of the vegetables. Wash and dry then finely dice basil, cut green onion into ¼” thickness, finely chop red pepper, and green and purple cabbage.

Assemble

  • Toss the arugula, purple cabbage, and green cabbage together in a mixing bowl.
  • Juice one lime over the greens and toss again (this is similar to massaging kale - we need to soften the arugula/cabbage prior to eating it for a more comprehensive taste).
  • Add the Udon Noodles, grilled chicken, fresh basil, and sliced avocado. Juice the other lime over the salad and toss again.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad, toss (so much tossing :P) and then serve. IT’S SO GOOD!

Notes

Spend some time to properly cut and prepare the vegetables. A chopped salad is much better when it’s CHOPPED and you get every flavor in each bite!
Add more or less heat by adjusting the amount of Thai Chili Paste and Sriracha.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Because we use cabbage instead of regular lettuce, it won't get too soggy. The noodles will absorb the dressing; so you may need to add more.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 498kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 243mg | Potassium: 498mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g