Thai Chicken Salad

On humid August evenings a hot, heavy supper doesn't sound one bit appealing. Any amount of cooking heats up our little house (we don't have air conditioning). And when Reuben has been working in the blazing sun all day, all he wants is a smoothie. But smoothies don't stick with you long.

A cold salad is so refreshing and satisfying, especially if it contains protein (AKA chicken). Most of the time I'll simply marinade chicken tenderloins and serve them on top of greens with lots of cheese and dressing. But I wanted to branch out (and I wanted to make something yummy to share with y'all).

"Would you eat this for supper if I made it?" I asked Reuben. "You probably won't like it." 

You see, Asian food isn't his favorite (unless it's deep fried, for which I can't blame him). He actually tolerated it pretty well, and wouldn't let me share it with my sister and her husband. I really liked it. It's my thang. 

As always, make sure you customize to your personal tastes. If you like a bit of heat, you could add some Sriracha to the dressing. I think that a fruit such as mangoes or peaches would be lovely. Maybe some candied almonds. Yummers. 

Thai Chicken Salad

adapted from Nature Box | makes 3-4 servings | Printable Page

Ingredients:

For the Salad:

• 6 cups shredded cabbage (about half a head)
• 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
• 2 green onions, sliced on the diagonal 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (less if you don't care for cilantro)
• 1 avocado, diced 
• 6 chicken tenderloins, cooked with a bit of salt and cut into small pieces (about 2 cups)

For the Dressing:

• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice + a bit extra
• 1 tablespoon evaporated cane juice (more if you're using unsweetened peanut butter)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:

1) Toss all of the salad ingredients except for the chicken together gently in a large mixing bowl. 

2) For the dressing, place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. 

To assemble:

3) Pour a bit of the salad dressing over the chicken, squeeze in a bit of lime juice and toss to combine. Toss chicken with salad ingredients. Pour dressing over salad and toss one more time. Serve immediately. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator (it will last for MAYBE a day, probably less).

DO AHEAD: Toss together all of the salad ingredients except for the avocado and chicken. Make the dressing. When ready to serve, mix in the avocado, chicken and dressing.