Name: Chicken Crispy Rice Salad with Peanut Dressing
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Ingredients: 2 cups cooked and cooled jasmine rice (day-old works best); 1 tablespoon soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free); 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil; 1 tablespoon chili crunch or garlic chili sauce; 1 teaspoon maple syrup; 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast; 2 cups shredded green or red cabbage; 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced; 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced; 1 cup shelled edamame, thawed; 3 green onions, sliced (separate white and green parts); 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped; 1/3 cup roasted salted peanuts; 1/4 cup natural peanut butter; 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari); 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil; 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated; Juice of 1 lime; 2 to 3 tablespoons warm water to thin

Description

This chicken crispy rice salad with peanut dressing delivers golden baked rice, tender shredded chicken, and a nutty peanut dressing in every single bite. It comes together in 40 minutes and works beautifully for meal prep throughout the week.

Ingredients

FOR THE CRISPY RICE

2 cups cooked and cooled jasmine rice (day-old works best)

1 tablespoon soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon chili crunch or garlic chili sauce

1 teaspoon maple syrup

FOR THE SALAD

2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast

2 cups shredded green or red cabbage

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 English cucumber, thinly sliced

1 cup shelled edamame, thawed

3 green onions, sliced (separate white and green parts)

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

1/3 cup roasted salted peanuts

FOR THE PEANUT DRESSING

1/4 cup natural peanut butter

2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari)

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

Juice of 1 lime

2 to 3 tablespoons warm water to thin

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the cooled rice with soy sauce, sesame oil, chili crunch, and maple syrup until every grain is coated. Spread in a single even layer on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.

2. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes, until deep golden and crunchy. Let it cool completely on the pan before adding to the salad.

3. Combine all peanut dressing ingredients in a small bowl or mason jar. Whisk or shake until smooth, adding warm water one tablespoon at a time to reach a pourable consistency. Taste and adjust lime and honey as needed.

4. Arrange the cabbage, bell pepper, cucumber, edamame, white parts of the green onions, cilantro, and shredded chicken in a large bowl.

5. Scatter the cooled crispy rice over the salad. Drizzle the peanut dressing generously over everything and toss gently. Top with peanuts and green onion tops. Serve immediately.

Notes

Day-old or refrigerated rice crisps best — fresh rice holds too much moisture.

Cool the crispy rice completely before tossing with the salad to preserve crunch.

For meal prep: keep crispy rice in a bag at room temperature, dressing in a jar in the fridge, and vegetables covered in the refrigerator. Assemble right before eating.

Gluten-free swap: use tamari in place of soy sauce in both the rice and the dressing.

Nut-free swap: replace peanut butter with sunflower seed butter and swap peanuts for toasted pumpkin seeds.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Asian-Inspired