Thai Chicken Meatball Salad
🥗 8. Thai Chicken Meatball Salad
The Concept
One of the most exciting salads on this list. Fragrant, lemongrass-spiked chicken meatballs are served warm over a cool, crunchy Thai salad dressed in a punchy fish sauce–lime vinaigrette. Contrasts in temperature, texture, and flavor make every bite electric.
Ingredients
For the Thai Chicken Meatballs:
- 500g (1 lb) ground chicken
- 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, very finely minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 green onions, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp red chili flakes (or 1 fresh red chili, minced)
- Handful of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame oil for cooking
For the Thai Salad:
- 3 cups shredded Napa cabbage
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 2 carrots, julienned or grated
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 cup edamame (shelled)
- ½ cup cucumber, julienned
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 3 green onions, sliced
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- Lime wedges to serve
- Crispy wonton strips (optional)
For the Thai Lime Dressing:
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey or palm sugar
- 1 small red chili, minced
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
Method
Step 1 — Make and Cook the Meatballs: Combine all meatball ingredients in a bowl. Mix with your hands until just combined — don't overwork. Wet your hands and roll into golf ball–sized balls (about 16–18 total). Heat sesame oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high. Cook meatballs in batches, turning to brown on all sides, about 8–10 minutes total until cooked through and deeply golden. Transfer to a plate.
Step 2 — Make the Dressing: Whisk fish sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar, honey, chili, garlic, sesame oil, and neutral oil together. Taste — it should hit sour, salty, sweet, and spicy all at once. Adjust lime or honey to balance.
Step 3 — Assemble: Toss Napa cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, edamame, and cucumber with two-thirds of the dressing in a large bowl. Pile onto a wide platter. Place warm meatballs across the top. Scatter mint, cilantro, green onions, and peanuts over everything. Drizzle remaining dressing over the meatballs. Serve with lime wedges alongside.
Chef's Note: The warm meatballs on cold salad is not an accident — the contrast is essential. Do not let the meatballs cool before plating.
