This Asian crunch salad is packed full of colorful, vibrant vegetables, a kickin’ chili-lime chicken, and a creamy and addicting peanut sambal dressing.

It may be that fall transition time, but here in San Francisco, we’re hitting a heat wave in October. Salads are still one of my must make recipes every week (I make a different salad every week for my meal prep lunches), and I’ve been loving them! No sleepiness or hunger – just satisfaction.
This week’s salad is an Asian Crunch Salad, inspired by many popular restaurant classics like the California Pizza Kitchen CPK Thai Crunch Salad, or Cheesecake Factory Thai Chicken Salad.
What really makes this salad super delicious is the variety of herbs, and combination of textures and flavors. I’m using mint, scallion, and cilantro (yes, you can make this with just the scallions or just the cilantro, but having ALL three scallions, cilantro, and mint really elevates the flavors to another level). Paired with the creamy peanut sambal dressing, crispy vegetables, chili-lime chicken, and toasted nuts, this salad resembles a crunchy thai chicken salad, and is an absolute favorite.
FAQ – Asian Crunch Salad
Q: Is this salad spicy from the sambal?
A: Since the sambal is mixed in with other ingredients, I find the components that use sambal (the chili-lime chicken and the peanut sambal dressing) to be mild and not spicy at all. If you’re looking for more spice, feel free to double the amount of sambal being used in the chicken and the dressing.
Q: Can I prepare this salad ahead of time?
A: Yes – you can prepare each of the ingredients and keep them separate. The most important part to keeping the salad fresh is to keep the ingredients separate, including the dressing. Here is how I would store each of the ingredients:
Romaine Lettuce – wash, dry, and cut. Store in a plastic bag with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
Red cabbage, carrots, and snap peas – wash, dry, and cut. Store in a tupperware container (these can all be in the same container).
Chicken – marinate, cook, cut, and store in a tupperware container. You can also keep this marinating for up to 5 days and cook this fresh before serving.
Toasted Nuts and Wonton crisps – keep these crunchy items stored separately in an air-tight container and add this to the salad right before serving.
Peanut Sambal dressing – store in a glass container either on the counter for 5 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Q: What else can I use this peanut sambal dressing for?
A: If you happen to have any of that peanut sambal left, pair it with a soba noodle bowl, and I promise you’ll have everyone in your household raving.
Q: How can I make this more like the CPK Thai Crunch Salad or the Cheesecake Factory Thai Chicken Salad?
A: To make this more like the Thai chicken salad from Cheesecake Factory, add bean sprouts, cucumbers, and rice noodles. Keep the rest of the ingredients the same. For the CPK Thai Crunch Salad, add cucumbers, edamame, and avocado.
Step by Step Instructions:
1. Marinate the chili-lime chicken – combine the boneless skinless chicken thighs, salt, lime zest, juice, yogurt, and sambal. Mix well and let sit as you work on the next item.
2. Make the peanut sambal dressing. In a food processor or blender, add all the ingredients. Blend until smooth, about 30 – 45 seconds. Taste, adjust seasoning or water to desired thickness and taste, and pour into a glass jar.



3. Cook the chicken – you can sear in a cast iron for ~4-5 minutes on each side, air fry at 400 for 10 minutes, or roast in the oven at 425F for 15 minutes.
4. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the vegetables – chop the romaine, carrots, red cabbage, snap peas, scallions, mint, and cilantro.
5. Once the chicken is cooked, dice into ½” pieces.



6. Assemble the salad – lay down a bed of romaine, and top with the carrots, cabbage, snap peas, and chicken. Add a small handful of fresh herbs, toasted almonds, and wonton crisps if you’re using. Drizzle with a generous amount of dressing (or however much to your liking), and serve.



VIDEO TUTORIAL: Asian crunch salad
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Asian Crunch Salad
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Asian crunch salad is packed full of colorful, vibrant vegetables, a kickin’ chili-lime chicken, and a creamy and addicting peanut sambal dressing.
Ingredients
For the Chili Lime Chicken:
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1/3 cup of greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon sambal chili sauce
- 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- Black pepper
For the Salad:
- 2 heads of romaine lettuce (or 1 lb of greens of choice)
- 2 cups snow peas
- 2 stalks scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 head red cabbage
- 1 medium carrot, shredded
- 1/2 cup of Toasted nuts (pecans, almonds, or cashews)
- 1/2 cup picked Cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup picked mint leaves, thinly julienned
- , sesame seeds
For the peanut sambal dressing:
- 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons sambal chili sauce
- 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup water to thin out the dressing
Instructions
- Marinate the chili-lime chicken – combine the boneless skinless chicken thighs, salt, lime zest, juice, yogurt, and sambal. Mix well and let sit as you work on the next item.
- Make the peanut sambal dressing. In a food processor or blender, add all the ingredients. Blend until smooth, about 30 – 45 seconds. Taste, adjust seasoning or water to desired thickness and taste, and pour into a glass jar.
- Cook the chicken – you can air fry at 400 for 10 minutes, sear in a cast iron for ~4-5 minutes on each side, or roast in the oven at 425F for 15 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the vegetables – chop the romaine, carrots, red cabbage, snap peas, scallions, mint, and cilantro.
- Once the chicken is cooked, dice into ½” pieces.
- Assemble the salad – lay down a bed of romaine, and top with the carrots, cabbage, snap peas, and chicken. Add a small handful of fresh herbs, toasted almonds, and wonton crisps if you’re using. Drizzle with a generous amount of dressing (or however much to your liking), and serve.
Equipment
Notes
Instead of the chili-lime chicken, you can also use a shredded rotisserie chicken and toss this with some lime juice and sambal.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredient Cost Breakdown:
For the Salad
Shared pantry items:
- Sambal, honey – $1
- Kosher salt, black pepper, neutral oil, rice wine vinegar, sesame seeds – $1
For the Chili Lime Chicken
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs – $8.99
- ⅓ cup of greek yogurt – $.50
- Zest and juice of 1 lime – $.50
For the Salad
- 1 head of romaine lettuce – $1.99
- 2 cups snow peas – $2.49
- 2 stalks scallions – $.50
- ¼ head red cabbage – $.75
- 1 medium carrot, shredded – $.35
- ½ cup toasted nuts – $1
- Cilantro, mint – $2.50
For the peanut sambal dressing:
- ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter – $1.25
Total – $22.82
If you liked this Asian Crunch Salad:
- Souvla Chicken Ranch Salad (at home version)
- Ginger Scallion Chicken Salad with Charred Potatoes and Pickled Red Onions


I made this tonight and it was delicious! Really, really good. Do you buy your wonton crisps? If so, what brand? Or do you make them? I love your recipes. Thank you!
Hi Angie, so glad to hear! I usually don’t buy wonton crisps (they are hard to find!!), but honestly, any brand should work 🙂 I usually make them with any dumpling wrapper I have on hand.