Thai Coconut Chicken Salad Recipe
Thai Chicken Salad with poached coconut chicken, baby spinach, cucumbers, fresh herbs and scallions.
How to Make the Best Thai Coconut Chicken Salad
This Thai Coconut Chicken Salad is a refreshing and flavorful way to enjoy tender, aromatic chicken with crisp vegetables and bright herbs. The secret is in the poaching liquid—coconut milk infused with red curry paste, fish sauce, and kefir lime leaves transforms ordinary chicken into something extraordinary, and the cooled liquid becomes a rich, silky dressing for the entire salad.
What makes this salad truly special is how the creamy coconut flavor permeates every bite while the fresh herbs and crunchy cucumbers keep things light and vibrant. It’s the perfect balance of rich and refreshing, making it ideal for warm weather dining or when you’re craving something healthy but deeply satisfying.
This recipe is incredibly meal-prep friendly—poach the chicken ahead of time and store it in some of the cooking liquid to keep it moist. When you’re ready to eat, simply toss everything together with fresh greens and a squeeze of lime. Top with toasted coconut or roasted peanuts for the perfect finishing crunch.
Thai Coconut Chicken Salad
Thai Chicken Salad with poached coconut chicken, baby spinach, cucumbers, fresh herbs and scallions.
Ingredients
Coconut Poached Chicken
Salad
Instructions
Poach the Chicken
- Cut the chicken into smaller pieces. In a large saucepan or skillet, heat the coconut milk, stir in the red curry paste, fish sauce, sugar and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
- Add chicken to the poaching liquid, bring to a boil, cover, then lower the heat to medium, and simmer gently for 10 minutes covered.
- Turn the pieces over, cover, and simmer for another 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked all the way through (reaches 165°F at thickest part). Save the poaching liquid, letting it cool down—this will be the dressing!
- Shred the chicken with two forks, stir in a couple tablespoons of poaching liquid and let it cool. You can do this ahead of time and refrigerate for meal prep.
Assemble the Salad
- Place the spinach in a bowl with cucumbers, green onions, fresh herbs, and the shredded chicken.
- Add a few tablespoons of the cooled poaching liquid, just enough to coat the leaves well, and toss.
- Add a squeeze of lime juice to taste, and a pinch more salt if needed. If you like it spicy, add a squirt of sriracha.
- Divide among bowls and top the salad with something crunchy—toasted coconut, roasted peanuts, or crispy shallots.
Notes
- The poaching liquid doubles as a delicious dressing—don't throw it away!
- For the freshest flavor, use a mix of cilantro, Thai basil, and mint.
- The poached chicken can be prepared ahead and refrigerated for easy meal prep.
- Add sriracha for extra heat if desired.
