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Thai Chicken Salad with Red Curry Butternut Squash
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5 from 5 votes

Thai Chicken Salad with Red Curry Butternut Squash

This Thai Chicken Salad with Red Curry Butternut Squash is a hearty, yet lighter meal for fall days, and can also be served with grains.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American, Thai
Servings: 4
Calories: 609kcal
Author: Kaitlin

Ingredients

For the roasted butternut squash and chicken:

  • 1 medium butternut squash (cut into ¾-inch chunks––can substitute sweet potato or any other kind of winter squash like kabocha, acorn, etc.)
  • 2 chicken breasts (bone-in, skin-on)
  • 2 ounces Thai red curry paste (about 55g, or about 2 tablespoons)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

For the salad:

  • 1 cup mint leaves leaves
  • 1 cup cilantro leaves
  • Baby kale and baby mesclun greens
  • 1 small red onion (sliced very thinly)
  • 1 lime (juiced)
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup
  • 1 cloves garlic (minced)
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • Salt (to taste)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spread the butternut squash on the pan, leaving space for 2 chicken breasts in the center.
  • Mix 2 ounces of Thai red curry paste with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Spoon a little less than half over the chicken breasts and spread evenly all over the chicken. Pour the rest over the butternut squash and toss to coat.
  • Roast the butternut squash for 30 min. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees F. Place the marinated chicken breasts on the pan with the squash and continue to roast for 35 min (the internal temperature should read 165F).
  • When the cooking time is almost complete, assemble the salad. Toss some torn mint, cilantro, and your preferred salad mix into a bowl with 1 small thinly sliced red onion.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the juice of 1 lime, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 minced garlic clove, and ⅓ cup mild-flavored oil until it’s emulsified into a salad dressing. Season with salt to taste.
  • Shred the chicken, and toss it with butternut squash, greens, and dressing for a warm Thai chicken salad.
  • You can also simply enjoy the butternut squash and chicken with some hearty sauteed fall greens like kale or collards on the side!

Nutrition

Calories: 609kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 335mg | Potassium: 1751mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 36415IU | Vitamin C: 92.6mg | Calcium: 225mg | Iron: 4.3mg