Description
This chicken crispy rice salad with peanut dressing is a vibrant Asian-inspired bowl packed with crunchy golden rice, tender chicken, edamame, fresh herbs, and a creamy peanut sauce.
Perfect for lunch, meal prep, or a quick dinner when you want bold flavor and irresistible texture.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups cooked jasmine rice (day-old preferred)
- 2 chicken breasts (or 4 thighs), cooked and sliced
- 1 cup shelled edamame
- 1 cup shredded cabbage (or crunchy greens)
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp honey (or maple syrup)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 2–4 tbsp warm water (to thin)
- 2 tbsp crushed peanuts
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- 1. Spread cooked rice on a tray and break up clumps.
- 2. Heat 1–2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium-high; add rice and press lightly.
- 3. Cook until deeply golden and crispy in spots; flip/turn in sections and crisp the other side.
- 4. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until browned and 165°F inside, then rest and slice.
- 5. Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, honey, garlic, and ginger.
- 6. Add warm water a tablespoon at a time until the dressing is smooth and drizzleable.
- 7. Toss crispy rice, chicken, edamame, cabbage, green onions, and cilantro in a large bowl.
- 8. Drizzle dressing over the salad, toss gently, then top with peanuts and sesame seeds.
Notes
- Day-old rice crisps best—fresh rice can steam and stay soft.
- Crisp the rice in batches if your skillet is small.
- Add dressing right before serving to keep maximum crunch.
- Use rotisserie chicken to make this even faster.
- Make it spicy with sriracha or chili crisp stirred into the dressing.
- For meal prep, store dressing separately and drizzle at serving time.
- Swap chicken for crispy tofu or chickpeas for a vegetarian version.
- Add cucumbers, shredded carrots, or snap peas for extra crunch.
- If the dressing thickens in the fridge, loosen with warm water or lime juice.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Pan-Fried
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: chicken crispy rice salad, crispy rice chicken salad, peanut dressing salad, crunchy rice salad