Being over halfway through May, we are solidly in picnic territory in Wisconsin and most (all?) of the United States. And while sandwiches tend to be the default option, I'm a bit fan of hearty salads. This time around, we take a look at how a Thai Peanut Dressing transforms a coleslaw when shredded carrots and beauty heart radish find chopped chicken and roasted peanuts. Every bite is perfection!
If you don't have access to beauty heart radish, other types of radish can be shredded and added to this salad. I like beauty heart because it has a pleasant bite and absolutely gorgeous color. The combination of pale green cabbage, bright orange carrots, fuchsia beauty heart radish, and deep green scallions is both delicious and just beautiful. It's a perfect blend for late spring.
I like to pack a picnic lunch consisting of this salad, dried tangerines, a hot and spicy nut blend I enjoy, and some sliced cucumbers splashed with a bit of rice vinegar and soy sauce. If you simply must have a sandwich, consider tucking this coleslaw into a wrap or a turning them into summer rolls … that counts, doesn't it?
Chopped Chicken Coleslaw with Thai Peanut Dressing
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup hot honey
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons roasted, diced green chiles
- 1 teaspoon grated garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 4 cups finely chopped green cabbage
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 1 ½ cups matchstick carrots
- 1 cup matchstick beauty heart radish
- 1 cup sliced scallions
- 1 cup roasted peanuts, chopped or whole
To make the dressing, whisk together the first 10 ingredients (peanut butter through toasted sesame oil) in a large bowl until fully combined, about 15 seconds. Set aside.
To make the salad, combine the cabbage, chicken, carrots, radish, and scallions in a large bowl. Drizzle about ¾ cup dressing over salad; toss thoroughly until well combined. Add the peanuts and toss to combine. Serve with any remaining dressing on the side or toss with any leftovers to refresh as you enjoy them later.
- Yields: 4-6 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes