Easy High Protein Crispy Rice Salad Recipe
This Easy High Protein Crispy Rice Salad is a vibrant and flavorful dish featuring crispy baked jasmine rice, pan-fried chicken thighs, a creamy cilantro lime dressing, and a fresh mix of crunchy vegetables and herbs. Perfect for a light yet satisfying meal, this salad combines textures and bold flavors with ingredients like tamari, sesame oil, tahini, and fresh lime juice. It’s a nutritious, protein-packed meal that is quick to prepare and ideal for any season.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Baking and Frying
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Ingredients
Scale
Crispy Rice
- 3 cups cooked jasmine rice (prepared from 1 cup uncooked grains)
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Chicken
- 600 grams boneless skinless chicken thighs, diced
- 2 tbsp corn flour
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Cilantro Lime Dressing
- 35 ml fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp unhulled tahini
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, loosely packed
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
Fresh Salad Ingredients
- 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
- 2 Lebanese cucumbers, sliced in thin rounds
- Handful of mint leaves
- 3 stalks spring onions, thinly sliced
- 200 grams shelled edamame beans (about 1 cup)
- 1/3 cup roasted cashews, chopped
Instructions
- Bake the Crispy Rice: Preheat your oven grill (broiler) to 200°C (about 400°F). Place a large baking tray inside and let it heat for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add the cooked and cooled jasmine rice to a large mixing bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together tamari, rice vinegar, honey, toasted sesame oil, and minced garlic. Pour this sauce over the rice and toss until well coated. Once the tray is hot, spread the rice out in a thin even layer and bake for 14 minutes, tossing halfway through to ensure even crispiness.
- Prepare and Cook the Chicken: Dice the chicken thighs and place in a large mixing bowl. Add corn flour, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste, tossing to coat evenly. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Fry the chicken pieces in batches without crowding the pan, cooking until golden on all sides. Transfer cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Repeat until all chicken is cooked.
- Make the Cilantro Lime Dressing: In a bullet blender or small food processor, combine fresh lime juice, unhulled tahini, fish sauce, loosely packed cilantro, water, honey, extra virgin olive oil, and salt. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust salt or lime juice as needed to balance flavors, adding extra lime for brightness if desired.
- Prepare Fresh Salad Ingredients: While cooking other components, finely shred the iceberg lettuce, slice the cucumbers into thin rounds, and thinly slice the spring onions. Prepare the shelled edamame beans, roughly chop the roasted cashews, and pick a generous handful of fresh mint leaves. Having these prepared ensures ease of assembly and freshness in the final salad.
- Assemble and Serve the Salad: In a large salad bowl, combine the fried chicken, shredded lettuce, sliced cucumbers, mint leaves, spring onions, and edamame beans. Drizzle with the cilantro lime dressing and toss until evenly coated. Scatter the crispy rice and chopped roasted cashews on top for crunch. Serve immediately to enjoy the freshest textures and flavors. For extra flavor, add more mint or a squeeze of lime just before serving.
Notes
- Baking the rice under the grill creates delicious crispy texture and adds a unique crunch to the salad.
- Make sure to work in batches when frying the chicken to get an even golden browning and avoid overcrowding.
- The cilantro lime dressing can be adjusted to taste by adding more lime or salt for balance.
- Assemble salad just before serving to keep the crispy rice crunchy and fresh ingredients vibrant.
- You can substitute jasmine rice with basmati or another long grain rice but jasmine provides a subtle floral aroma that complements the flavors well.
Keywords: high protein salad, crispy rice salad, chicken salad, healthy salad, cilantro lime dressing, Asian inspired salad
