Thai Pasta Salad with Chicken and Peanut Dressing

If you love a good pasta salad full of fresh ingredients and homemade dressing, this Thai Pasta Salad with chicken is going to blow you away. It’s everything you want in a salad with grilled chicken, pasta, and crispy veggies tossed in a homemade Thai Peanut Dressing!

Just look at all that color! This is the kind of dish that spells healthy without leaving you hungry two hours later. It’s satisfying, packed with protein, and a ton of Thai flavor.

Who’s ready to make it?!

What is Thai Pasta Salad?

This delicious combination of tender, grilled chicken with veggies, pasta, fresh cilantro, and crushed peanuts all tossed in a tangy Peanut Dressing might be my favorite salad ever. 

The savory and sweet flavors with those crispy vegetables and crushed peanuts are a flavor explosion you want to experience. 

It’s divine. Out of this world. And the best thing since Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Tacos.

Ingredients

Toppings are always my favorite part, and the more color the better! Since this is a Thai-inspired salad, I wanted to stay true to the flavor profile, here's what we've got: 

• Shredded red cabbage: it's fresh, tasty, and crunchy!
• Red bell pepper: thinly sliced.
• Matchstick carrots: more crunchiness!
• Chopped cilantro: makes this salad extra fresh!
• Unsalted peanuts: did I already say crunchiness enough times? Nope!
• Grilled chicken breasts: save time using leftovers or rotisserie chicken.
• Penne pasta: or any other pasta.
• Thai Peanut Dressing: ridiculously tasty and the perfect addition to this (and any) salad.

Thai Pasta Salad Dressing

The sauce is the boss, and once you give this tangy-sweet Peanut Dressing a taste, you’ll understand what I mean when I say I could eat it with everything!

Double the batch and store it for up to a week. Use it as a dip for grilled chicken or vegetables, drizzled into a lunch wrap over these Thai Chicken Bowls.

Asian Pasta Salad

You usually won’t find penne pasta in a Thai salad, but I find it’s ridged shape holds onto every bit of the Peanut Dressing. Plus, my kids are more likely to eat their veggies when pasta is involved.

Use regular pasta or Pad Thai style noodles like soba and rice noodles. Any of them will work and make this one delicious meal.

How to Make Thai Pasta Salad with Chicken

This salad is a matter of tossing all the ingredients in a bowl and serving. Literally the easiest dinner recipe ever! Check it out:

1. Cook the pasta
   Cook it as you usually do. Once cooked, rinse and transfer to a bowl.
2. Assemble
   To the bowl of pasta, you add the cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, grilled chicken, peanuts, and cilantro, making separate rows of each.
3. Add the dressing
   You drizzle the salad with the peanut dressing, toss to coat everything and enjoy!

I do like to prepare the grilled chicken ahead of time, and usually, it’s from dinner the night before. However, if you’re short on time, a rotisserie chicken from the grocery or leftover baked chicken will work perfectly. Just shred the meat, you’ll need about 2 cups worth, and add to the salad.

More Thai Pasta Salad Toppings & Mix-Ins

You can make this recipe all your own. There are a variety of vegetables and toppings you can add to the mix and still stay true to the flavor profile. Here are a few ingredient ideas:

• Steamed, shelled edamame
• Sliced cucumber
• Coleslaw mix
• Fresh bean sprouts
• Broccoli slaw

Storing Leftover Thai Pasta Salad

With all the chicken, veggies, and pasta, this recipe yields quite a bit, and thankfully leftovers taste even better the next day. The bell peppers, carrots, and cabbage stay crunchy for several days, and the sauce prevents the pasta and chicken from drying out.

Once made, it will last for up to 3 days refrigerated in an airtight container, which is plenty of time for everyone to get their fill.

How to Prep-Ahead

This salad is another meal prep recipe you can make ahead and enjoy throughout the week. Start by grilling the chicken and boiling the noodles. Meanwhile, slice the bell peppers and red cabbage and prepare the Peanut Dressing. 

From here, you have the option of assembling the salad or keeping the ingredients separate and storing in the refrigerator for another day. 

Find 65+ more recipes like this one that are easy to prep for dinner and lunch here.

I usually prefer to make this at the beginning of the week and use it for lunches throughout the week. 

Packing Thai Chicken Salad for Lunch

The best meal prep lunches are those that can be split up into individual servings and refrigerated for a couple of days. Therefore, this salad is one of the best meal prep recipes.

You can store it in a large airtight container and serve as needed or divide it into individual meal prep containers; that way, they are ready for you to grab and pack into the lunch bag.

More Epic Salad Recipes

If you’re on the lookout for fresh, healthy, and delicious salads, you can prep ahead for the office; you’re in the right place. Along with this Thai Chicken Pasta Salad, these BLT Bowls and these Chicken Farro Bowls are the thing to make!

Other salads worth trying are this classic Caprese Salad, this Buffalo Chicken Salad, and this delicious Salmon Nicoise.