Sweet Chili Chicken Salad

I get together monthly with a group of fun gals, we eat dinner and visit for an hour. We have new mothers, grandmothers, mothers of teens and toddlers. It is one fun group! This month we had assigned pot luck. I do love potluck but I don't really like all desserts or all potato salads (do people make potato salads any more)?? So an assigned potluck is the way to go.
I offered to bring a main dish salad. I perused my blog and thought about making Thai Chicken Salad or Vietnamese Summer Roll Salad or even Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps. Then I checked out my Pinterest Boards--so many yummy salads. I decided I must try a new salad. I had it narrowed down to Sweet Chili Chicken Salad from Kevin at Closet Cooking or Crunchy Cabbage Salad with Peanut Dressing from Blissfulblog. Sweet Chili Chicken Salad won but I will try the other salad soon.
And win it did--everyone loved it! The dressing was the perfect combo of sweet and salty with a few warm undertones. The salad was crunchy and just delicious. Chopped peanuts were the final addition. It was perfect. I am so excited to share it with you.

Sweet Chili Chicken Salad
2 heads of thin sliced romaine
1/2 head of thin sliced Napa cabbage
I like to rinse these off after I have chopped them and then give them a spin in the salad spinner
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
I will also add a handful of torn basil when it is growing in my yard
1/2 of a English cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
2-3 carrots peeled and sliced with a julienne peeler, this gadget deserves a place in your 'gadget' drawer
1/2 red pepper, sliced then diced in smaller pieces
4 green onions, sliced thin
3 cups fresh bean sprouts--this is key in this recipe, please don't leave them out
chopped peanuts
2 boneless chicken breasts--I poured about 1/2 cup of the dressing over the chicken breasts and let them marinate in the fridge for 3-4 hours. I then baked them at 375 for about 25 minutes (or follow your package instructions). Slightly cool chicken breasts and then shred or slice thin, season generously with salt and pepper.. You could use any kind of cooked chicken in this recipe.

Sweet Chili Dressing
1 cup sweet chili sauce
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoon soy sauce
4 tablespoons lime juice (about 2 large limes)
2 tablespoons peanut butter
4 cloves pressed garlic
4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until peanut butter is melted.
Cool before serving, I used about 1/2 cup to marinade the meat the rest I put on the table and let guests dress their own salad.
This salad was delicious on day two and day three! Perfect lunch--I did not get tired of it. I want to make it again soon.
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