Chicken Salad w. Honey Lime Vinaigrette & Peanut Sauce Drizzle | The Salad I Can't Stop Eating
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This salad is one of those recipes I honestly hate that I love so much because once I make it, I want it again and again and again. If I opened a grocery store + market café tomorrow, this salad would absolutely be on the menu.
It’s crunchy, colorful, fresh, filling and layered in a way where every bite tastes different and delicious at the same time! The sweet crisp apples, cucumbers, creamy peanut sauce drizzle, crunchy tri-color strips and bright honey lime vinaigrette just work together beautifully. I’m not gonna hold you… this salad does require a little knife work because a lot of the vegetables are julienned into thin matchsticks, but it is SO worth it. Trust me!
This recipe is inspired by the famous salad from Hillstone / Houston’s. A chef friend of mine used to work there and instead of giving me the recipe, she challenged me to keep figuring it out myself. I probably made this salad five different times for her and every single time she would tell me something was missing so I could go back and tweak it again. Over the years, I kept adjusting it and making it my own and now it’s easily one of my favorite salads ever.
Serves 4–6 | About 1 hour | Intermediate but very doable
Ingredients
Honey Lime Vinaigrette
- ⅓ c vegetable oil
- ¼ c rice vinegar
- ¼ c honey
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- 2 tsp red pepper, minced
- 1 tsp onion, minced
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ¼–½ tsp Dash of Dacy Salt & Pepper Blend (or similar blend)
Peanut Sauce Dressing
- ¼ c soy sauce
- ¼ c peanut butter
- 2–3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1–2 garlic cloves, grated
- ½ tsp sambal oelek chili paste
Salad
- 1 whole rotisserie chicken or 2 grilled chicken breasts, shredded or sliced
- 4–6 baby gem lettuces
- 2–3 handfuls green leaf lettuce or artisan lettuce
- ⅔ English cucumber, julienned
- ½ large carrot, julienned
- ½ Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apple, julienned
- ¼ red bell pepper, julienned
- ¼ yellow or orange bell pepper, julienned
- ½ c fresh cilantro, rough chopped
- ¼ c tri-color tortilla strips
Optional Add-Ins
- Jicama, julienned
- Charred corn
Apple Soak (Optional but Recommended for Meal Prep)
- Cold water
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt
Method
1. Prep the vegetables.
Wash, peel and julienne the vegetables. Thin matchstick cuts are what give this salad that signature restaurant style texture and bite. Take your time here because the knife work really makes the salad.
Cut the apples last so they stay fresh and bright. If prepping ahead, place the apples in a bowl with cold water, fresh lemon juice and salt to help prevent browning. Drain well before adding to the salad.
2. Prepare the lettuce.
Wash and thoroughly dry the lettuce. Baby gem lettuce already has such a naturally beautiful shape to it, so instead of heavily chopping it down, gently separate and peel back the layers with your hands after washing. It gives the salad that market café style look and keeps the texture really nice.
Avoid romaine or iceberg here. Baby gem, artisan lettuce and green leaf lettuce give this salad a softer, more elevated texture. Use a salad spinner to remove excess water, then gently pat dry.
3. Prepare the chicken.
Pull the chicken into thin shreds or bite-sized pieces. You can absolutely roast or grill your own chicken if you want to, but I’m gonna be honest, a grocery store rotisserie chicken works perfectly here and saves a lot of time.
This salad works really well with either grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken, so use whichever you prefer or already have on hand.
It’s completely okay if the rotisserie chicken is still slightly warm. That warmth against the cold crisp lettuce and vinaigrette actually works really well together.
4. Make the honey lime vinaigrette.
Blend the vinaigrette until smooth and emulsified. Add the vegetable oil, rice vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, lime juice and sesame oil to a container or tall jar.
Use an immersion blender until smooth and creamy. Once blended, whisk in the cilantro, minced red pepper, onion and Dash of Dacy Salt & Pepper Blend.
The dressing should taste bright, balanced and slightly sweet.
5. Make the peanut sauce.
Blend until smooth and silky. Add the soy sauce, peanut butter, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic and sambal oelek to a container.
Use an immersion blender until smooth and fully combined.
Do not skip blending this dressing. The immersion blender helps the peanut butter fully emulsify so the sauce becomes creamy instead of thick and separated.
6. Char the corn (optional).
Cook the corn in a dry hot skillet until lightly blackened. Place the corn into a hot dry skillet over medium high heat and rotate every few minutes until lightly charred on all sides.
Once cool enough to handle, slice the kernels from the cob and set aside for the salad.
This adds a really nice smoky sweetness to the salad.
7. Toss the salad.
Dress the salad in layers. If possible, use a large cold bowl that has been sitting in the refrigerator. A chilled bowl helps keep everything crisp and fresh while tossing the salad together.
Add some of the honey lime vinaigrette to the bottom of the bowl first. Then add the lettuce, chicken, cucumbers, carrots, apples, peppers and half of the tri-color tortilla strips. Toss gently until everything is lightly coated. The dressing should beautifully coat the lettuce, not drown it.
You can absolutely adjust the ingredient amounts to your liking. More crunch, more apples, less peppers… make it yours!
8. Plate the salad.
Build the salad high for that beautiful market café look. Using gloved hands, pile the salad onto a platter or plate little by little to create height and texture.
Spoon the peanut sauce over and around the salad instead of pouring it directly on top. This gives you much more control and keeps the salad looking clean and intentional.
Finish with the remaining tri-color tortilla strips, fresh cilantro and a few colorful peppers or lettuce leaves for a final pop.
Notes + Pro Tips
- Please use liquid measuring cups for liquids and dry measuring cups for dry ingredients. Using the wrong measuring tool can absolutely alter a recipe.
- This salad looks like a lot of ingredients at first, but honestly a lot of these are pantry staples you probably already have.
- The combination of the honey lime vinaigrette and peanut sauce is what makes this salad so special. It sounds like a lot going on, but together they balance each other beautifully.
- The sweet crisp apples, cool cucumbers, fresh carrots, creamy peanut sauce and crunchy tortilla strips all balance each other really nicely.
- If using jicama, use a smaller amount than the apples. It adds freshness and crunch without overpowering the salad.
- This salad is extremely filling. Every time I make it, I’m honestly full for most of the day.
- Make all of the components at the beginning of the week and store them separately in deli containers. Once everything is prepped, putting the salad together throughout the week becomes really easy.
- Store washed lettuce in a zip-top bag lined with damp paper towels to help keep it crisp.
- If meal prepping, definitely use the lemon juice and salt soak for the apples so they stay fresh and don’t oxidize.
- I will say this now…make more than you think you need because everybody is going back for another bowl.
This salad is one of those recipes I just keep coming back to.
It’s fresh, crunchy, colorful, filling and honestly one of those salads you keep thinking about the next day. The kind you accidentally eat straight from the bowl standing in the kitchen.
Yes, it takes a little prep work but once everything is prepped and sitting in containers at the top of the week, putting it together becomes so easy.
I really hope you make this one. And trust me now… make more than you think you need because everybody is going back for another bowl.
This is the salad I’m summering with this Summer!
RECIPE VIDEO HERE