Complex Flavors in a Simple Salad
This Thai chicken salad is full of complex flavor, but it’s also really easy to put together. Spicy butternut squash and bone-in chicken breasts are roasted with the same easy red curry marinade (just crack open a can of Thai red curry paste and mix it with some olive oil and butter), baked until perfectly golden and crisp on one pan in the oven. From there––and the thing I love about this one pan dish––is you can serve it with a salad, per this recipe, or alongside some simple grains of your choice and sauteed greens. Buuut, I highly recommend trying this combination of mint, cilantro, red onion and greens, topped with the perfect Asian dressing. I’m not one to lightly praise an Asian salad dressing, as there are some really subpar, cloyingly sweet, overly sesame-d versions out there. That said, I was very very pleasantly surprised after throwing together this blend of rice vinegar, fish sauce, fresh-squeezed lime juice, garlic, and honey. The result is the perfect complement to the curried butternut squash and roast chicken, and has great depth for when you’re craving something different than the standard lemon vinaigrette or oil and vinegar.
Perfect for Meal Prep
If you’re a weekly meal prepper, this salad is a great candidate. Like I said, you can make it with rice or quinoa and sauteed veggies, or even add some other roasted veggies to the pan along with the butternut squash. You can also make a few pre-packed salad mason jars. The dressing goes on the bottom, followed by the chicken and butternut squash, and gets topped off with the greens, herbs, and onion––everything will stay crunchy and fresh until lunch the next day. This might just become your new favorite salad!
Thai Chicken Salad with Red Curry Butternut Squash: Recipe Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spread the butternut squash on the sheet pan, leaving space for 2 chicken breasts in the center. (Space for chicken breasts not pictured. Oops.)
Mix 2 ounces of Thai red curry paste with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Spoon a little less than half over the chicken breasts and spread evenly all over the chicken.
Pour the rest over the butternut squash and toss to coat.
Roast the butternut squash for 30 min. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees F. Place the marinated chicken breasts on the pan with the squash and continue to roast for 35 min (the internal temperature should read 165F on a meat thermometer).
When the cooking time is almost complete, assemble the salad. Toss some torn mint, cilantro, and your preferred salad mix into a bowl with 1 small thinly sliced red onion.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the juice of 1 lime, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 minced garlic clove, and ⅓ cup mild-flavored oil until it’s emulsified into a salad dressing. Season with salt to taste.
Shred the chicken, and toss it with butternut squash, greens, and dressing for a warm Thai chicken salad.
You can also simply enjoy the butternut squash and chicken with some hearty sauteed fall greens like kale or collards on the side!
