Pad Thai (Cafe) Salad
We love a Pad Thai Cafe Salad - a pad thai recipe made with fresh veggies, chicken, noodles, and spicy flavors in the homeamde sauce!
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry rice noodles, about 1/4″ wide
- 2 Tbsp. oil
- 2-3 cups rotisserie chicken, pulled and chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 ½ cups daikon radish, finely chopped
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup Napa cabbage, finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups cilantro, chopped
- 16 ounce jar prepared Pad Thai sauce, OR HOMEMADE RECIPE BELOW
- 1 cup peanuts, chopped
- Sriracha hot chili sauce, optional
- Lime wedges
Homemade Peanut Dressing:
- 2 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed
- ½ cup peanut butter, or almond butter
- ½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- ⅓ cup fresh squeezed lime juice
- ¼ cup light soy sauce, we use Coconut Amino Acids
- ⅓ cup honey, agave or maple syrup
- ¼ cup toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1-2 tsp sriracha sauce, or more, according to spice level
Instructions
- In a large bowl, submerge the dry rice noodles in hot tap water. Let soak for 8-10 minutes; drain and set aside.
- In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add the garlic to the pan, and fry until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the chopped chicken; cook for 2 minutes. Add the noodles, radish, carrots, and Napa cabbage. Stir together and fry for 1 more minute.
THE DRESSING/SAUCE:
- Mix together the peanut dressing ingredients for a homemade dressing, or at this point, use storebought dressing/sauce.
- Add the sauce to the noodle mixture. Add sriracha sauce if you want more spice. Turn the heat back up to medium-high. Stir to combine. Add in the peanuts and cilantro; toss to combine. Place the salad in a large bowl and refrigerate.
- Garnish with cilantro and peanuts (optional); refrigerate for at least 2 hours; serve with fresh lime.
Notes
Sandy's Tips:
- Take a peek in your pantry and see what kind of noodles you have! This recipe is great with any kind of noodles, but best with dry rice or soba noodles.
- Serve hot or served cold (the perfect summer meal).
- Optional to make your own homemade sauce, or you can buy storebought Peanut Sauce (dressing).
- Make it with shrimp and chicken--you can combine 2 proteins. You can also add beef, pork, or tofu (to make it vegetarian).
- STORAGE: Keeps well for 3-4 days in the fridge -perfect for midweek meals and lunches, or potlucks and gatherings.
- Peanut allergy? Substitute peanuts for toasted, slivered almonds!
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 441kcal, Carbohydrates: 51g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 38mg, Sodium: 3676mg, Potassium: 376mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 1964IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 61mg, Iron: 1mg