Thai Chopped Chicken Salad (Panera) – a healthy loaded chicken salad packed with roasted veggies and baked wonton wraps plus a guilt-free and delicious homemade dressing with no sugar and made with almond butter. Simply filling and indulgent!
After making this Cuatro leches cake, I have no choice but to eat healthy for the next  week or tw0, in order to shred some pounds. I am shame to say, I ate way too much cake. Surpassing the 1-2 servings allowed , I wish I could say that was it. But No, the binge eating continued….. Sad to say it lasted a whole week.
Sometimes, I wonder where my will power is when it comes to certain meals. My clothes are getting a little too tight for comfort.
Now, I have to pay the price.
However, I refuse to eat cardboards.
This Panera inspired chicken salad  is one salad that I love making, eating and packing for lunch. It consists of romaine lettuce, carrots, roasted red pepper, almonds, edamame beans, chicken breast, and baked wontons. (You know you can bake your wontons to cut down on the calories). I bake them then and store in a zip lock bag or airtight container.
You can buy store-bought  roast red bell peppers or just roast your own. By the way, did you know that red bell pepper has more nutrients that green bell pepper (about nine times the amount of carotene)? Silly me, I thought it was the opposite. Just another added bonus for this salad.
The salad dressing is easy, healthy and delicious with no sugar and made with almond butter.
Enjoy it.
Thai Inspired Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup of shredded or chopped chicken breast , about 2 medium chicken breast
- 8 wontons , 1 1/2 cup wonton strips
- 6 cups chopped salad , Napa cabbage or romaine lettuce
- 1 cups shredded carrot
- 1 cup of Edamame beans
- 1 large red pepper , diced and roasted
- 2 scallions white and green parts, sliced diagonally
- 2 tablespoon white sesame seeds , toasted
- ½ cup roasted almond , cashew or peanut
Dressing
- 2 tablespoon dark sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2-3 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon peeled , grated fresh ginger
- 4 tablespoons almond butter
- ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon siraracha
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, or foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cut wonton wrappers into strips and lay on baking sheet.
- Bake for approximately 8-12 minutes depending on your oven until wontons are crispy and lightly golden brown. You may have to wash them very closely. Remove from the oven, let cool.
- Roast edamame, carrots, and red pepper on a grill pan or skillet with about a tablespoon of olive. This may take about 2-3 minutes. Set aside. -
- If using fresh chicken breast pound it with a meat mallet, then sprinkle with salt and pepper or your favorite spices
- Lightly spray a nonstick fry pan, Preheat skillet over medium –high heat until hot. Place chicken in the skillet and cook for about 5- 6 minutes on each side until juice runs clear. You may have to turn the chicken more than once to make sure the chicken is brown on both sides. Set aside and let it cool. Slice chicken into strips or just shred it. Set aside
- In a large bowl, combine Napa cabbage, carrots, edamame, red pepper, scallions, sliced chicken, almonds and wonton strips. Sprinkle with sesame seeds
- Combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake like crazy -to emulsify for about 2 minutes. Set aside. Be sure to shake it before each use.
- Add dressing to salad and toss to coat right before serving Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition Information:
Christina@A Soulful Twist says
All the flavors you have going in this recipe sounds divine!