This Chopped Thai Grilled Chicken Salad is a quick and easy Panera copycat recipe that has been lightened up to ditch some of the carbs and calories to make it keto-friendly and low carb. The salad is drizzled with homemade peanut dressing and is made with juicy chicken thighs, you can use chicken breasts if you wish.
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FOR THE FULL LIST OF INGREDIENTS AND COMPREHENSIVE INSTRUCTIONS, PLEASE SEE THE RECIPE CARD AT THE END OF THIS POST. BEFORE YOU SCROLL, THERE'S IMPORTANT INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG POST.
Spring has finally arrived and I wasted no time firing up my grill. I'm looking forward to so many grilled meals! I am also working to jazz up salads. I need more veggies in my life and this Thai chicken salad is perfect.
Table of Contents
How to Make Thai Chicken Salad
- I recommend marinating the chicken. Marinating provides so much flavor. You can marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight.
- Add the chicken thighs and marinade ingredients to a sealable plastic bag. Marinate in the refrigerator.
- Grill the chicken on medium-high heat. You will need to grill the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Timing may vary, use a meat thermometer. You can read more about How to Grill Chicken Thighs here.
- Allow the chicken to rest and then slice.
- Assemble the salad with vegetables and top with the chicken.
- For the Peanut Salad dressing, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir.
- Serve the salad with the dressing and top with sesame seeds.
Panera Thai Chicken Salad Ingredients
I modified the Panera recipe to ditch some of the carbs. Here is a listing of the full ingredients, feel free to toss these in your salad if you wish.
- ¾ cup wonton strips
- ¾ cup shredded carrots
- ¾ cup edamame beans
- ½ cup red pepper/sliced
How Long Will the Thai Peanut Sauce Dressing Last in the Fridge?
The dressing will last in the fridge for up to a week.
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How Many Carbs in Panera Thai Chicken Salad?
For a whole salad with dressing, the Thai Chicken Salad at Panera has 44 grams of net carbs.
How Many Calories in Panera Thai Chicken Salad? What is the Nutrition of Panera Thai Chicken Salad
A whole salad has 540 calories, 44 net carbs, and 39 grams of protein.
What is the Healthiest Salad at Panera?
I believe it's the Greek Salad. The Greek salad at Panera does not have added sugar.
Meal Prep Tips
- Store the vegetables in sealable containers like mason jars. That way, the veggies stay crunchy. Store the chicken in Tupperware so that you can reheat it separately from the salad each day.
- You can use the chicken in other ways, so that salad doesn't get boring. I reheated my chicken on the stove with a dash of olive oil and served it with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice and Green Bean Salad.
More Salad Recipes
Keto Zucchini Noodle Pasta Salad
Keto Cauliflower Potato Salad
Keto Broccoli Salad
Italian Vinaigrette Homemade Dressing
Chopped Thai Grilled Chicken Salad
Want to save this recipe for later?
I'll email it to you, so you can come back to it later! You will also get our free digital cookbook with 30-Minute One-Pot Recipes and weekly recipes and tips.
Ingredients
Thai Chicken Marinade
- 1 pound boneless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon ground or fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha 1 tablespoon results in mild flavor, add more to adjust to your taste
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or liquid aminos
- ½ tablespoon McCormick’s Grill Mates BBQ Seasoning
- ½ tablespoon McCormick’s Grill Mates Chicken Seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Salad
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup fresh green onions
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- 3 cups spinach or mixed greens
- 2 tablespoons sliced peanuts or sunflower kernels
- Sesame seeds topping
Thai Peanut Dressing
- ¼ cup natural peanut butter or almond butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or liquid aminos
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons brown sweetener
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
Thai Peanut Dressing
- Add the peanut butter to a small bowl. Sometimes natural peanut butter can be hard to stir. If so, place it in the microwave for 15-30 seconds to soften.
- Add the remaining dressing ingredients to the bowl. Stir to combine until the dressing becomes creamy.
Thai Chicken Salad
- Marinating the chicken is recommended for optimal flavor and texture. Add chicken to a sealable plastic bag with the ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, Sriracha, rice vinegar, BBQ Seasoning, Chicken Seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.
- Shake the bag and ensure the chicken is fully coated. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to overnight.
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat (If you prefer to bake the chicken, see baking instructions below in the Recipe notes). Allow the grill to heat for 10 minutes.
- I like to spray my grill plates with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Add the chicken. Cook the chicken for about 10-15 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, flipping halfway through. Use a meat thermometer to test doneness.
- Remove the chicken from the grill. Allow the chicken thighs to rest for 10 minutes before slicing it into strips.
- While the chicken rests, assemble the salad with spinach, cabbage, cilantro, green onions, and peanuts or sunflower kernels.
- Add the sliced chicken strips. Drizzle the Thai peanut dressing throughout.
Video
Notes
Panera Thai Chicken Salad Ingredients
I modified the Panera recipe to ditch some of the carbs. Here is a listing of the full ingredients, feel free to toss these in your salad if you wish.- ¾ cup wonton strips
- ¾ cup shredded carrots
- ¾ cup edamame beans
- ½ cup red pepper/sliced
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Ann says
I’m going to marinate my chicken RIGHT NOW. And add cabbage to my grocery order and dinner ✅. Thanks
staysnatched says
Wonderful! Enjoy!
Ann says
Brandi—another winner! We don’t have a grill yet so after marinating couple of hours, I put it in the slow cooker. Turned out great. Husband loves the dressing!!.
staysnatched says
I'm so glad you guys enjoyed it!
Coby says
This is my new favorite salad! I love all the flavors and textures- I did use the bell pepper and carrots, and added chopped celery as well. That dressing is just delicious!
staysnatched says
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.