Asian Crispy Rice Chicken Salad

This is one of those salads that absolutely does not eat like a sad salad. Crispy, salty rice. Crunchy vegetables. Rotisserie chicken because we have lives to live. And a creamy sesame ginger dressing I could probably drink with a straw.

It’s fresh, filling, ridiculously good, and just fancy enough to make it look like you tried harder than you did. My favorite kind of recipe.

Ingredients

For the Crispy Rice

• 2 cups cooked rice, cooled (I use jasmine, but whatever you have will do)

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce or marinade

For the Chicken

• 1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed and shredded

• ¼ cup teriyaki sauce or marinade

For the Salad

• 5 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
  or 1 large English cucumber

• ½ cup red cabbage, finely sliced

• ½ cup cilantro, chopped

• ½ cup salted peanuts, roughly chopped

• 1 red bell pepper, diced small

• 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

For the Creamy Sesame Ginger Dressing

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos

• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 2 tablespoons cashew butter

• 2 cloves garlic, mashed or finely grated

• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced or grated

• OPTION to add Thai Chili, For some heat.

Instructions

1. Make the crispy rice. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. Add the cooled rice to the sheet pan. Drizzle with sesame oil and teriyaki sauce, then toss until the rice is evenly coated. Spread it into a thin, even layer. The more room you give it, the crispier it gets.

3. Bake for about 30–40 minutes, stirring or flipping the rice halfway through, until it’s golden brown and crispy around the edges. Keep an eye on it toward the end because there’s a fine line between delightfully crispy and well, hell.

4. Prepare the chicken. While the rice is crisping, remove the meat from the rotisserie chicken and shred or chop it into bite-size pieces. Toss with ¼ cup teriyaki sauce. Set aside.

5. Make the dressing. Add the olive oil, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, cashew butter, garlic, and ginger to a jar or small bowl. Shake the daylights out of it or whisk until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust if needed.

6. Build the salad. In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, cabbage, cilantro, peanuts, bell pepper, and green onions. Add the teriyaki chicken.

7. Let the crispy rice cool for a few minutes before adding it to the salad. This keeps the vegetables crisp instead of accidentally steaming the whole operation.

8. Pour over as much of the sesame ginger dressing as your heart tells you, then toss everything together.

9. Finish with a little extra crispy rice, peanuts, cilantro, or green onions on top if you’re feeling fancy.

Serve immediately while that rice is still good and crunchy.

A Little Savannah Note

If you’re making this ahead, keep the crispy rice and dressing separate until you’re ready to eat. Otherwise that beautiful crispy rice becomes regular rice, and we did not come this far for regular rice.