Thai Peanut Noodle Salad With Chicken

Thai Peanut Noodle Salad With Chicken is a fresh, colorful meal made with tender noodles, cooked chicken, crunchy vegetables, and a creamy peanut dressing. It has a nice mix of savory, slightly sweet, tangy, and nutty flavors without being hard to make.

This recipe works well for lunch, meal prep, light dinners, or warm-weather meals when you want something filling but not heavy. You can serve it chilled or at room temperature, which makes it easy to pack and enjoy later.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Great for meal prep: It keeps well in the fridge and tastes good cold.

• Full of texture: Soft noodles, crisp vegetables, and crunchy peanuts make every bite interesting.

• Easy to customize: Use rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken, or leftover chicken.

• Simple homemade dressing: The peanut sauce comes together quickly with pantry ingredients.

Equipment Needed

• Large pot

• Colander

• Cutting board

• Sharp knife

• Large mixing bowl

• Small mixing bowl

• Whisk or fork

• Measuring cups and spoons

• Tongs

Ingredients List

For the Salad

• 8 ounces rice noodles, spaghetti, or linguine

• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or sliced

• 2 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix

• 1 cup shredded carrots

• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

• 1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced

• 3 green onions, sliced

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional

• 1/3 cup chopped roasted peanuts

For the Peanut Dressing

• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1 to 2 teaspoons sriracha, optional

• 2 to 4 tablespoons warm water, as needed to thin the dressing

For Topping

• Extra chopped peanuts

• Lime wedges

• Extra cilantro, optional

• Sesame seeds, optional

Timing & Servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

How to Make Thai Peanut Noodle Salad With Chicken Step by Step

Step 1: Cook the noodles
Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain them, then rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and cool them down.

Step 2: Prepare the vegetables
While the noodles cook, slice the bell pepper, cucumber, and green onions. Shred the carrots if needed.

Step 3: Make the peanut dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and sriracha if using.

Step 4: Thin the dressing
Add warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dressing is smooth and pourable. It should be creamy but easy to toss with the noodles.

Step 5: Combine the salad
In a large bowl, add the cooled noodles, cooked chicken, cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, cucumber, green onions, cilantro, and peanuts.

Step 6: Add the dressing
Pour the peanut dressing over the salad. Toss well with tongs until the noodles and vegetables are evenly coated.

Step 7: Taste and adjust
Taste the salad and add more lime juice, soy sauce, or sriracha if needed.

Step 8: Serve
Top with extra peanuts, lime wedges, sesame seeds, or cilantro. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Tips for the Best Thai Peanut Noodle Salad With Chicken

1. Rinse the noodles after cooking. This keeps them from getting sticky and helps cool them quickly.
2. Use warm water to thin the peanut dressing. It helps the peanut butter blend smoothly.
3. Do not overdress the salad too early if you plan to store it. The noodles can soak up the sauce as they sit.
4. Use crunchy vegetables for the best texture. Cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, and bell peppers all hold up well.
5. Taste before serving. Peanut dressing can change depending on the peanut butter and soy sauce you use, so adjust the lime, honey, or saltiness as needed.

Variations to Try

• Use shrimp: Swap the chicken for cooked shrimp.

• Make it vegetarian: Skip the chicken and add edamame, tofu, or chickpeas.

• Add more vegetables: Try snap peas, broccoli slaw, red cabbage, or shredded kale.

• Make it spicy: Add extra sriracha or a pinch of red pepper flakes.

• Use almond butter: Almond butter works if you do not want to use peanut butter.

• Try rotisserie chicken: It saves time and works well in this salad.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Thai Peanut Noodle Salad With Chicken as a complete meal on its own. It has protein, noodles, vegetables, and a creamy dressing all in one bowl.

You can also serve it with fresh spring rolls, cucumber salad, grilled chicken skewers, or a light soup. For a lunchbox meal, pack extra lime wedges and peanuts on the side.

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

• You can cook the noodles, chop the vegetables, and make the dressing up to 2 days ahead. Store everything separately for the freshest texture.
• Once mixed, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• This salad is best served cold or at room temperature, so reheating is not needed. If the noodles seem dry after chilling, stir in a splash of warm water, lime juice, or a little extra dressing.
• Freezing is not recommended because the noodles and vegetables can become soft and watery after thawing.

Nutritional Facts

Calories: 520
Fat: 24g
Carbs: 49g
Protein: 31g
Sugar: 11g
Sodium: 760mg

Thai Peanut Noodle Salad With Chicken

Thai Peanut Noodle Salad with Chicken is a fresh and flavorful dish featuring tender chicken, noodles, crisp vegetables, and a creamy peanut sauce with a hint of lime and spice. It's an easy, satisfying meal that's perfect for lunch, dinner, or meal prep.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Salad

Cuisine Asian Fusion, Thai

Servings 4 people

Calories 520 kcal

Equipment

• Large pot
• Colander
• Cutting board
• Sharp knife
• Large mixing bowl
• Small mixing bowl
• Whisk or fork
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Tongs

Ingredients

  

For the Salad

• 8 ounces rice noodles spaghetti, or linguine
• 2 cups cooked chicken shredded or sliced
• 2 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
• 1/2 English cucumber thinly sliced
• 3 green onions sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro optional
• 1/3 cup chopped roasted peanuts

For the Peanut Dressing

• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 to 2 teaspoons sriracha optional
• 2 to 4 tablespoons warm water as needed to thin the dressing

For Topping

• Extra chopped peanuts
• Lime wedges
• Extra cilantro optional
• Sesame seeds optional

Instructions

 

Step 1: Cook the noodles

• Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain them, then rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and cool them down.

Step 2: Prepare the vegetables

• While the noodles cook, slice the bell pepper, cucumber, and green onions. Shred the carrots if needed.

Step 3: Make the peanut dressing

• In a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and sriracha if using.

Step 4: Thin the dressing

• Add warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dressing is smooth and pourable. It should be creamy but easy to toss with the noodles.

Step 5: Combine the salad

• In a large bowl, add the cooled noodles, cooked chicken, cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, cucumber, green onions, cilantro, and peanuts.

Step 6: Add the dressing

• Pour the peanut dressing over the salad. Toss well with tongs until the noodles and vegetables are evenly coated.

Step 7: Taste and adjust

• Taste the salad and add more lime juice, soy sauce, or sriracha if needed.

Step 8: Serve

• Top with extra peanuts, lime wedges, sesame seeds, or cilantro. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Keyword Thai Peanut Noodle Salad With Chicken

FAQs

Can I use regular pasta instead of rice noodles?
Yes. Spaghetti or linguine works well if you do not have rice noodles.

Can I make this salad ahead of time?
Yes. For best results, store the dressing separately and toss everything together before serving.

Is this recipe spicy?
It is mild if you use only a little sriracha. You can skip it completely or add more if you like heat.

What kind of chicken works best?
Grilled chicken, baked chicken, shredded chicken, or rotisserie chicken all work well.

Conclusion

Thai Peanut Noodle Salad With Chicken is fresh, filling, and easy to make with simple ingredients. The creamy peanut dressing brings everything together, while the vegetables add crunch and color. Try it for meal prep, lunch, or a simple dinner that tastes great cold or at room temperature.