Easy High Protein Crispy Rice Salad Recipe
This Easy High Protein Crispy Rice Salad combines crunchy baked jasmine rice with tender pan-fried chicken thighs and a vibrant cilantro lime dressing. Fresh crisp vegetables, edamame, and roasted cashews add delightful texture and flavor. A perfect refreshing, protein-packed salad with an Asian-inspired twist, ideal for lunch or a light dinner.
- 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
Salad
- 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) and place a large baking tray inside to heat for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, toss the cooled cooked jasmine rice with tamari, rice vinegar, honey, toasted sesame oil, and minced garlic until evenly coated. Spread the rice thinly and evenly on the hot baking tray and bake for 14 minutes, tossing halfway to ensure even crispiness.
- Prepare and Cook the Chicken: Dice the chicken thighs and toss with corn flour, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat with extra virgin olive oil. Cook the chicken pieces in batches, ensuring they are not touching, until golden brown on all sides. Transfer cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- 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 a pinch of salt. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning with additional salt or lime juice if desired.
- Prepare Fresh Salad Ingredients: Finely shred iceberg lettuce, slice Lebanese cucumbers into thin rounds, thinly slice spring onions, chop roasted cashews, and pick fresh mint leaves. Prepare shelled edamame beans for assembly.
- 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 cilantro lime dressing and toss until evenly coated. Top with the crispy baked rice and chopped roasted cashews for crunch. Serve immediately for best texture and freshness, optionally garnished with extra mint or a squeeze of lime.
Notes
- For best results, spread the rice thinly and toss halfway during baking to achieve maximum crispiness.
- Cooking chicken in batches prevents steaming and ensures a golden crust.
- Adjust the dressing seasoning to taste, adding more lime juice for brightness or salt for balance.
- Serve the salad immediately to maintain the crisp textures of the rice and fresh vegetables.
- This salad can be made ahead by preparing components separately but assemble just before serving.
Keywords: high protein salad, crispy rice salad, chicken salad, Asian salad, healthy dinner, jasmine rice, cilantro lime dressing, edamame, roasted cashews
