Thai Crunch Salad is a repeat dish in my house and my daughter’s house. We discovered this recipe a few years ago from one of our favorite sources, IowaGirlEats. The dressing is so good, I could eat it by the spoonful. The salad keeps well, as long as you put the dressing on immediately before serving. If you are vegan or vegetarian, you can omit the chicken.
Thai Crunch Salad with Peanut Dressing
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups coleslaw mix, green cabbage, red cabbage, carrot mix
1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Add ingredients for Thai Peanut Dressing into bowl then whisk to combine. Taste then adjust lime juice for more acid, and/or add water to thin if necessary.
Add remaining ingredients into a large bowl. Drizzle desired amount of dressing on top then toss well to combine. Scoop into bowls then serve with lime wedges.
I’ve posted many recipes by Iowa Girl Eats and this recipe is another winner. I added grilled chicken to add protein and it was delicious. I ate leftovers cold from the refrigerator and thought it was equally delicious!
Sesame Peanut Sauce Noodles with Grilled Chicken
INGREDIENTS:
8 oz gluten free spaghetti or ramen noodles
3 Tablespoons smooth peanut butter
3 Tablespoons gluten free reduced-sodium Tamari, or soy sauce if not gluten free
1 Tablespoon coconut sugar , or brown sugar or white sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon Siracha chili sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 small clove garlic, pressed or minced
1 lime, sliced in half, one half sliced into wedges
Bring a large pot of water to a boil then add gluten free spaghetti or ramen noodles and cook until al dente. BEFORE DRAINING, carefully scoop out 1 cup pasta cooking water then set aside. Drain pasta then return to pot.
Meanwhile, combine peanut butter, gluten free Tamari, coconut sugar, sesame oil, Siracha chili sauce, ground ginger, garlic, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice in a small bowl then stir to combine – it’s ok if the sauce isn’t completely smooth.
Add sauce, green onions, and minced peanuts to the hot pasta, plus a few Tablespoons pasta cooking water, then stir until noodles are coated and the sauce is completely smooth. Add more pasta cooking water as needed to reach a smooth consistency.
Scoop into bowls then serve with lime wedges and toppings and grilled chicken
I love an easy meal and especially an easy ramen bowl. This easy peasy recipe is now one of my all-time favorite meals. The chicken and the sauce are perfect for this dish. I added more vegetables than called for, so you can adjust to your liking. I’d highly recommend!
Basil Butter Chicken is a very flavorful dish. I chose the crockpot method on the high setting and it was tender and delicious. I will make this again but I will reduce the amount of garam masala to 1 tablespoons. Perhaps add or reduce according to your taste. While the dish is not hot in heat it has a bold flavor with all of the spices.
Basil Butter Chicken
INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs,cubed
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons red curry paste
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 tablespoons garam masala (I would recommend starting with 1T)
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1-2 teaspoons chili flakes (I did not add)
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 can (6 ounce) tomato paste
1 can (14 ounce) coconut milk
4 tablespoons salted butter
2 zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
DIRECTIONS:
Crockpot:
In the bowl of your crockpot, combine the chicken, yogurt, curry paste, garlic, ginger, garam masala, chili powder, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt.
Toss to coat the chicken. Let sit 10 minutes.
Add the onion, tomato paste, and coconut milk.
Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.
During the last hour of cooking, mix in the butter and zucchini. Crank the heat to high. Stir in the basil and cilantro. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes until thickened.3.
Serve the chicken, zucchini, and sauce over bowls of rice with fresh basil and cilantro. Enjoy!
Oven:
In a baking dish, toss together the chicken, yogurt, curry paste, garlic, ginger, garam masala, chili powder, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.3. To the chicken, stir in the onion, tomato paste, and coconut milk. Top with zucchini. Then add slices of butter.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Top with basil and cilantro.4.
Serve the chicken, zucchini, and sauce over bowls of rice with fresh basil and cilantro. Enjoy!
Thai flavors are so delightful that I can’t seem to get enough. This Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Dressing is so delicious and packed with protein. I used spinach and the salad kept well for a couple of days. You could optionally serve the dressing only at the time of serving to better preserve the lettuce or spinach. A delicious favorite of mine!
Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Dressing
INGREDIENTS:
For the Salad:
1 cup cooked quinoa
2 big handfuls mixed greens OR baby spinach
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped or thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup shelled edamame
2 green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons peanuts, minced
handful fresh cilantro, chopped
For the Peanut Dressing:
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons honey
1-1/2 Tablespoons gluten free Tamari
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon sesame oil
heaping 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, pressed or minced
juice of 1/2 lime (other half sliced into wedges)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons hot water
DIRECTIONS:
For the Peanut Dressing: Add all ingredients to a bowl or mason jar with a tight fitting lid then whisk or shake well to combine. Set aside.
Divide remaining salad ingredients between two bowls then drizzle with dressing and serve with lime wedges.
Optional: Cook quinoa in chicken stock for more flavor. You can also add chicken or another protein.
My love of Thai food leads me to new Thai recipes. This Baked Thai Peanut Chicken is so easy and so quick, it could easily be in a weekday rotation. While the chicken was baking, I steamed the black rice with a vegetable basket of broccoli and squash. Voila! In 30 cooking minutes, dinner was done. I was so hungry, I forgot to add the sprinkle of cilantro and chopped peanuts.
Baked Thai Peanut Chicken
INGREDIENTS:
5 chicken thighs , boneless skinless
1/2 can coconut milk , 7 ounces1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce , low-sodium
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic , minced
1 tablespoon ginger , minced
cilantro , for garnish
chopped peanuts, for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large bowl mix the chicken, coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, lime juice, sesame oil, garlic and ginger.
Place the chicken, smooth side down into your baking dish.
Pour the sauce over it.
Cook for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (to 165 degrees F).
Optional: Add diced cilantro and chopped peanuts to the top of the baked chicken.
Chicken Lettuce Wraps are delicious and a little different than the lettuce wraps I have experienced at local Asian restaurants. I like this recipe and feel it would be wonderful over cooked rice.
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
INGREDIENTS:
1.5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large carrot, julienned
1/2 cup cashews, roasted
1/2 yellow onion
3 garlic clovers
1 inch piece of fresh ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
1 lime, juiced
small pinch of salt (note, soy sauce is salty)
1 tsp sesame oil, to finish
black pepper
green onions for garnish
fresh cilantro, for garnish
sesame seeds (optional)
Bib Lettuce or Butter Lettuce for serving
DIRECTIONS:
Julienne carrots and chop onions.
Sauté chicken thighs in olive oil with a bit of salt and black pepper, until lightly caramelized and set aside.
In the same pan sauté onions until softened, shred ginger and garlic, bring the chicken back along with carrots and cashews; add sweet chili sauce, soy sauce and lime juice, stir well and cook for a few minutes.
Finish with the chopped green onions and cilantro.
This salad! Wow! I made it expecting it to be good but it was amazing! I shared the salad with my two daughters, who agree this is a winner. The dressing is amazing and I will have on hand most of the summer for other salads as well. For leftovers, perhaps omit the avocado and serve it fresh with the salad to avoid brown avocado bits the next day. We are planning a family dinner with other Asian dumplings and dishes to serve with this new favorite, refreshing summer salad.
Cucumber Edamame Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing
INGREDIENTS:
Sesame-Ginger Dressing
3 Tbsp. avocado oil (or grapeseed oil)
3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2 tsp. lower-sodium tamari or soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 garlic clove, grated or minced
Cucumber Edamame Salad
1 lb. English or Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 cup shelled edamame
1 large avocado, cut into cubes
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
A pinch of Aleppo pepper flakes (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Prepare Sesame-Ginger Dressing by combining all dressing ingredients in mixing bowl or large glass measuring cup; whisk well to combine.
In a large bowl, combine cucumber, edamame, avocado, green onion, and sesame seeds. Season ingredients with a pinch of sea salt.
Add dressing and a pinch of Aleppo pepper flakes; toss to coat. Serve immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Who doesn’t love Potstickers and this Noodle Bowl version is delicious. A big shout out to IowaGirl Eats for her wonderful recipes and this one certainly is delicious. I subsituted or made a couple of the ingredients since I didn’t have the recommended ingredients on hand and it turned out well. I wanted a little sweetness and kick to the bowl so I added Sweet Chile Sauce to the top of my bowl. Sweet and sour sauce would be delicious as well.
I enjoyed the leftovers straight from the frig, a refreshing dish on a hot Colorado day!
Potsticker Noodle Bowl
INGREDIENTS:
1lb. ground pork
pinch white pepper or black pepper
1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon low sodium gluten free Tamari, divided (Fork Lore: I used soy sauce)
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth OR water
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon ginger paste (Gourmet Gardens recommended) (Fork Lore: I made my own of 1 T. grated fresh ginger and a drop or two of olive oil)
1 bunch green onions, green parts chopped into 2″ pieces, white and light green parts sliced
4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
Optional: Fork Lore suggestion to sprinkle a bit of Thai Kitchen Sweet Red Chile or Sweet and Sour Sauce as a condiment when serving.
DIRECTIONS:
Add pork to a mixing bowl with pepper and 1 Tablespoon gluten free Tamari then mix with your hands to combine and set aside.
To a small mixing bowl add remaining 1/2 cup gluten free Tamari, chicken broth (or water), rice vinegar, ginger paste, sesame oil, and red chili pepper flakes, if using, then whisk with a fork to combine and set aside.
Prepare rice noodles according to package directions. The Thai Kitchen brand I recommend instructs you to boil them for 4-6 minutes before draining and rinsing under cold running water – I like to boil the noodles until they’re al dente vs on the more firm side.
While the noodles are boiling, heat a large wok or 12” skillet over high heat. Add pork mixture then brown, breaking it up as it cooks. Add coleslaw mix and green onions then stir fry until the coleslaw wilts and becomes tender, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic then stir fry for 1 more minute.
Add the drained and rinsed noodles plus the sauce mixture into the wok then stir fry until the noodles are tender 4-5 minutes, turning the heat down slightly if the sauce begins to evaporate faster than the noodles are softening. If the sauce has been absorbed before the noodles are fully tender, add up to an additional 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth, and/or remove the wok from the heat and place a lid on top for several minutes to allow noodles to finish softening.
Let dish cool for at least 10 minutes before scooping into bowls and serving – you’ll taste the flavors so much better when the food isn’t piping hot!
The official name of this dish is ‘My Brother’s Special Rice Noodles’, but since this wasn’t from MY brother I felt weird saying that. Ha! This is such a refreshing salad and I love the combination of flavors. I’m a big an of cilantro (and it doesn’t taste like soap to me) so I add a handful to the salad. You could easily add a protein to the salad, if you desire.
Special Rice Noodles
INGREDIENTS:
For the Noodles:
1 tbsp. Avocado Oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large yellow onion, sliced in strips
6 small shitake mushrooms, sliced
8 oz. pad Thai rice noodles
1 cup red cabbage, sliced in thin strips
1 cup cucumber, sliced in thin strips
3 scallions, sliced
2 tbsp. peanuts, chopped
fresh cilantro leaves for serving or in salad (optional)
sliced Fresno chili for serving (optional)
salt & pepper
For the Sauce:
1 lime, juiced
1 tbsp. white vinegar
1 tbsp. Tamari or soy sauce
1 tbsp. chili garlic sauce
2 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. maple syrup (I used agave)
DIRECTIONS:
Bring a pot of salted water to boil for the noodles.
Mix together the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.
In a large pan over medium heat, sauté the garlic and onions in 1 tbsp. avocado oil with a sprinkle of salt and pepper until onions are mostly tender (3-4 minutes) then add the mushrooms and sauté until tender (3-4 minutes).
Boil noodles according to package directions, then add to the pan with the veggies; mix together, then turn off the heat and mix in the cabbage, cucumber, scallions, peanuts and sauce.
Garnish with cilantro and red Fresno chili slices and enjoy!
Recipe of My brother’s special noodles from MaxisKitchen