CPK's Thai Crunch Salad

A few weeks ago I went to Las Vegas for my company retreat. My mom flew out and met me here and we had a blast going shopping, eating delicious foods, and enjoying the gorgeous sunny weather. One night after a long afternoon of shopping, we stopped in at California Pizza Kitchen for dinner where I had my first experience with their Thai Crunch Salad. I have seriously been craving it ever since then and this week I decided to try and duplicate it at home. The hardest part of this recipe was simply chopping and dicing up all the ingredients for the salad, but grab somebody to help you out and this can be whipped up in no time! Don't be shaken by the long list of ingredients - most of them are common items you'd find in your kitchen and fridge. I loved the comination of flavors from the lime-cilantro dressing, the creamy peanut drizzle, and the fresh cruncy vegetables in every bite. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water again...

Ingredients:

Lime-Cilantro Dressing:

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil


• 2 Tbsp. honey


• 1/4 cup rice vinegar


• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro


• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard


• 2 tsp. lime juice


• 1/4 tsp minced fresh garlic (one clove)


• 1/2 tsp. salt


• 1/4 tsp. black pepper

Spicy Peanut Sauce:

• 2 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter


• 2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce


• 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar


• 1 Tbsp. honey


• 2 Tbsp. water


• 1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce


• 1/2 tsp. minced ginger


• 1 Tbsp. chili sauce


• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Salad:

• 1-2 cups chopped red cabbage


• 2 large carrots, chopped and julienned


• 2 cups shelled edamame


• 1 cup peanuts


• 2-3 green onions, chopped


• 1 small cucumber, peeled and diced (optional)


• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped


• 1 cup rice sticks (found in the Asian section of the grocery store)


• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into thin slices


• 1 bag salad - any variety


• 1 cup spinach

Lime-Cilantro Dressing: Put all items in a food processor and mix until combined. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Spicy Peanut Sauce: Put all items in a food processor and mix until combined. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Salad: Place all salad ingredients into a large bowl. Pour the lime-cilantro dressing over the entire salad and mix or shake to combine. Drizzle spicy peanut sauce over the top and serve immediately.