Description
A refreshing Thai Cucumber Salad with Chicken featuring vibrant herbs, crunchy vegetables, and a zesty, balanced dressing. This light and tasty dish offers the perfect combination of crisp textures, tender protein, and bright flavors, ideal for a wholesome lunch or dinner that energizes and satisfies.
Ingredients
Protein
- Chicken breast, lean and tender
Vegetables and Herbs
- Cucumbers, thinly sliced
- Carrots, julienned
- Red onion, thinly sliced
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Fresh mint, chopped
Dressing
- Lime juice (natural)
- Apple cider vinegar (natural)
- Maple syrup (natural)
- Vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (natural)
- Garlic, crushed
- Natural gelling agent
- Fresh chili or chili flakes (optional)
Garnish
- Chopped peanuts
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Season the chicken breast lightly with salt and pepper. Cook in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat until golden and fully cooked through. Let the chicken rest before slicing thinly to retain its juiciness and tenderness.
- Chop the Vegetables and Herbs: While the chicken cooks, thinly slice the cucumbers and julienne the carrots. Slice the red onion thinly and finely chop the fresh cilantro and mint leaves to create a fresh, colorful base for the salad.
- Whisk the Dressing: In a small bowl, combine lime juice (natural), apple cider vinegar (natural), maple syrup (natural), vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (natural), crushed garlic, and a pinch of natural gelling agent. Whisk thoroughly until the dressing is smooth with a slightly thickened consistency.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, gently toss the sliced chicken, cucumbers, carrots, red onion, and herbs together. Pour the dressing over the mixture and gently mix to evenly coat all ingredients. Sprinkle chopped peanuts on top for added crunch and nutty flavor.
Notes
- Use room temperature chicken to prevent the dressing from wilting the fresh vegetables too quickly.
- Slice cucumbers thinly to absorb just the right amount of dressing without becoming soggy.
- Lightly toast peanuts to enhance their nutty flavor and add a fragrant crunch.
- Adjust spice levels by adding fresh chilies gradually to achieve your preferred heat.
- Chill the salad in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld beautifully.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Pan-frying
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: Thai cucumber salad, chicken salad, fresh herbs, healthy lunch, easy recipe, zesty dressing, crisp vegetables, quick meal
