Easy High Protein Crispy Rice Salad Recipe
This Easy High Protein Crispy Rice Salad is a deliciously fresh and crunchy meal combining crispy baked jasmine rice, pan-fried chicken thighs, and a vibrant cilantro lime dressing. With fresh vegetables including lettuce, cucumbers, mint, spring onions, and protein-rich edamame, topped with roasted cashews, this salad offers a wonderful balance of textures and flavors perfect for a satisfying lunch or light dinner.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Fusion
- Diet: Halal
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) and place a large baking tray inside to heat for 5 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled cooked jasmine rice. Whisk together tamari, rice vinegar, honey, toasted sesame oil, and minced garlic in a small bowl. Pour this sauce over the rice and toss well to coat evenly. Spread the rice thinly on the hot baking tray and bake for 14 minutes, tossing halfway through to ensure even crisping.
- Prepare and Cook the Chicken: Dice the chicken thighs and place them in a large mixing bowl. Add corn flour, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper; toss to coat evenly. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces in batches to avoid crowding, cooking until golden and cooked through on all sides. Transfer cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined plate and keep warm.
- Make the Cilantro Lime Dressing: In a bullet blender or small food processor, combine fresh lime juice, tahini, fish sauce, loosely packed cilantro, water, honey, extra virgin olive oil, and salt. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust salt or lime juice as needed for balanced flavor.
- Prepare Fresh Salad Ingredients: While other components cook, finely shred iceberg lettuce, thinly slice Lebanese cucumbers and spring onions, roughly chop roasted cashews, pick fresh mint leaves, and measure shelled edamame beans. Having these ready ensures freshness and easy assembly.
- Assemble and Serve the Salad: In a large salad bowl, combine the cooked chicken, shredded lettuce, sliced cucumbers, mint leaves, sliced 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, optionally adding more mint or a squeeze of lime for extra brightness.
Notes
- Ensure the jasmine rice is well cooled before tossing with the sauce to achieve maximum crispiness when baking.
- Working in batches when frying chicken prevents overcrowding, which helps in achieving an even golden crust.
- The cilantro lime dressing can be adjusted to taste by adding more lime juice or salt for brightness and balance.
- Serve the salad immediately after assembly to maintain the crispy texture of the baked rice.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the chicken with firm tofu and omit fish sauce from the dressing.
Keywords: high protein salad, crispy rice salad, chicken salad, healthy lunch, cilantro lime dressing, easy dinner, baked rice, jasmine rice salad
