Juicy grilled chicken, smoky charred carrots, crunchy cabbage, crisp cucumbers,and fresh herbs are all tossed in a creamy peanut dressing that ties everything together. It’s packed with protein and colorful veggies, holds up well for meal prep, and is hearty enough to enjoy as a complete meal. If you’re feeding extra-hungry eaters, serve it with cooked rice or noodles on the side.
Ingredient highlight
Peanut butter! This magical, delicious peanut spread is a good source of protein, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin B6. When buying peanut butter, always look at the ingredient list. It should say “peanuts” or “peanuts and salt”, nothing more!
Servings 5 – 6
Prep Time 20 minutes 
Cook Time 12 minutes Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 3.5 cups chopped cooked)*
- ¾ lb carrots (about 5), cut in half lengthwise if very thick**
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- 3-4 cups shredded cabbage (from ½ small cabbage or use bagged coleslaw mix)
- 1 large or 2 small cucumbers, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1/2-1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro and/or mint
- Peanuts, for topping
- Chili crisp or sriracha, for topping (optional)
- Lime wedges, for topping
For the peanut sauce:***
- ½ cup natural peanut butter
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 2-3 tsp maple syrup
- ⅓ cup warm water
- Optional: grated ginger, garlic or chili crisp
- *You can reduce to 1 lb and add in 1 cup of thawed edamame, if you’d like.
- **I like having both raw and cooked veggies in a salad for texture, which is why we’re grilling the carrots. If you want to skip this step, just grate the carrots and mix in raw.
- ***If you’re not into peanut sauce, you could toss all of this with chimmichurri, pesto or your favorite dressing.
- No grill? ~ Pan-fry the chicken over medium-high heat until golden and cooked through, or bake the chicken and carrots at 425°F for 18–22 minutes. You can also leave the carrots raw and coarsely shred them instead.
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to medium-high. Toss the chicken and carrots with the olive oil and salt.
- Grill the chicken for 5–7 minutes per side, or until nicely browned and cooked through. Grill the carrots for 4–6 minutes per side, or until lightly charred and tender. The exact timing will depend on their thickness.
- Transfer the chicken and carrots to a cutting board and let rest for 5–10 minutes, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, maple syrup, and optional add-ins until combined. Whisk in ⅓ cup warm water until smooth. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dressing is creamy but pourable. Taste and add more lime juice as needed.
- Add the chopped chicken and carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, scallions, and herbs to the bowl. Toss until everything is evenly coated. Taste and add more lime or soy sauce, if needed.
- Divide among bowls and top with chopped peanuts, spicy topping (if using), and a squeeze of lime.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Grill the chicken and carrots
- Shred 3-4 cups cabbage (or use bagged coleslaw mix)
- Chop 1 large or 2 small cucumbers (about 2 cups)
- Thinly slice 1 bunch scallions
- Chop 1 cup cilantro and/or mint
- Make the peanut dressing
- Toss the salad together
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, sub chicken with equal amounts (3-4 cups) of baked tofu, chopped into small pieces or use a mix of tofu and edamame.
- To make nut-free, sub peanut butter with tahini or use a different dressing, like chimmichurri.
- Use chopped grilled steak in place of chicken.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- You can eat this cold right out of the fridge. I prefer to scoop it into my bowl and let it sit out a bit or pop in the microwave to bring it closer to room temp.
- Top leftovers with a generous squeeze of lime, peanuts, more herbs if you have any, and something spicy.
- Serve with rice or noodles to stretch it and make it more filling.
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