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There are a few dishes on various Kansas City restaurant menus I order time and time again. The phenomenal pasta tasting at Lidia Bastianch’s restaurant (the ravioli is always the best). The fettuccine alfredo (heart-attack in a bowl) and veal saltimbooca at this favorite home-style Italian restaurant. The perfectly roasted chicken here. The lobster and shrimp spaghetti here. The goat cheese and roasted garlic appetizer here. The chimichanga here. The scallops (or pot pie!) here. The chicken enchilada (going tonight!) here. The fish special with risotto (going tomorrow!) here.
Ok, so I guess I have more than a few. But the one dish I order more than any others, and never get sick of, is this simple spicy chicken salad from a favorite lunch spot of mine. And it’s not just me. All my friends order the same salad. Every. Single. Time.
I try to be one of those people that branches out and orders something completely different each time, but, in this case, at this restaurant (and the aforementioned), I can’t bear to get anything different, afraid I’ll be severely disappointed if I try anything else. So I order it over and over and over again. And I’m happy over and over and over again. Why mess with a good thing?
The actual salad part is pretty straightforward, just some mixed greens with chopped red pepper, peanuts and some cilantro. But it’s also chock-full of freshly grilled chicken, then covered in a honey lime vinaigrette and drizzled with the most delicious peanut sauce. THIS is the peanut sauce of all peanut sauces, I spoke about it here, and tried my hand at recreating it after a waiter kindly gave me the ingredient list on the sly, and that I immediately lost. All I could go off were the two ingredients I remember being on the list, LOTS of red pepper flakes and honey.
While my version of the peanut sauce isn’t an exact replica, it’s pretty darn close, and I’m constantly tweaking it to try and get it as close to perfection as possible, but for now, I’m very happy with the results.
In my adaptation of the salad, I filled it up with a million more veggies than the original – red pepper, water chestnuts, jicama, green onion, shredded carrots, purple cabbage and baby carrots. I also skipped the topping of fried tortilla chips for obvious calorie savings reasons (plus I always take them off anyways), and instead of just tossing all the ingredients together, I first chopped them all up so everything was relatively the same size – so much easier to eat and whole lot prettier.
Everything is tossed together in a giant salad bowl, tossed lightly in honey lime vinaigrette and then drizzled with the peanut sauce and sprinkled with chopped peanuts and cilantro.
From me to you. My favorite salad of all time.
Enjoy and have a lovely weekend!
P.S When I was edited these photos, the above three photos looked TOTALLY different, now, they kind of look the same. Oops!
- 3 small chicken breasts
- (Optional blackening seasoning)
- 1 cup chopped red pepper
- 1 cup chopped jicama
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
- ½ cup chopped water chestnuts
- 1 cup chopped baby corn
- ½ cup shopped peanuts
- ½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup Peanut Dressing
- Juice from 2 limes
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Heat a grill or grill pan to a medium high. Sprinkle chicken with plenty of salt and pepper or blackening seasoning if using. Grill chicken until cooked through. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
- In a small bowl, whisk lime juice, honey and salt. Slowly whisk in olive oil.
- Toss lettuce with vegetables through baby corn.
- Toss with honey lime vinaigrette.
- Starting with just ½ cup of peanut sauce, drizzle over salad, toss. Add more if needed
- Top with chopped peanuts, green onion and cilantro.
Cassie says
This salad is gorgeous, Nicole! I love a good spicy salad!
Nicole says
Thanks so much Cassie!
Jamie says
Mmmmmmm can’t wait to try this re-creation! ❤️❤️
Alyssa @ My Sequined Life says
This salad looks like one of my favorite chicken salads from back in California. Love the crunch from the jicama and the spicy peanut sauce. Can’t wait to make it!
Nicole says
Definitely love all the crunch!! Thanks Alyssa!
Monet says
I can see why this is a favorite! I want a big bowl in front of me now!
Nicole says
Thanks Monet!!!!
Shiran @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet. says
Yes! Peanut dressing is my favorite! Looks so tempting!
Nicole says
Mine too!! Thank you!!
Lilli @ Sugar and Cinnamon says
This salad looks so vibrant and fresh! I wonder if you could sub the chicken for tofu to make a vegetarian version?
Nicole says
Oh definitely!!
Bri | Bites of Bri says
Nicole, I love salads like this! I eat them all the time for lunch and for dinner when the husband is out of town. Pinning! 🙂 Thanks, girl!
Nicole says
Thanks Bri!!
Ashley says
I’m the same way with certain restaurants! I can’t bare the thought of being disappointed so I stick with my same favorite dish!
This salad looks awesome – especially with that drizzle of peanut sauce!
Isadora says
Now I’m starving and want to come to Kansas City and eat at all those restaurants! I’m the same way, it is hard to branch out and take a chance ordering something else when you know that you love this salad so much! I think i would order this salad every time too! It is so colorful and sounds amazing! I also really love the colorful napkin you used in these photos 🙂
Chelsea says
I am such a salad person and I love trying different kinds – I love that this is spicy with a peanut dressing! Gorgeous Nicole! Pinned 🙂