Figgy Thai Chicken Salad

This salad is a collision of flavors you wouldn’t expect to work together, but they absolutely do. Shredded chicken tossed with sliced dried figs, cubed cantaloupe, red bell pepper, and cucumber, all dressed in a punchy lime-honey-ginger marinade with a little heat from red pepper flakes.

The dressing does the heavy lifting. Lime juice, honey, reduced-sodium soy sauce, minced fresh ginger, and red pepper flakes combine into something bright, sweet, salty, and spicy all at once. It hits every note.

Dried California figs are the surprise ingredient. Sliced crosswise into rounds, they add a jammy sweetness and chewy texture that plays off the crisp cucumber and juicy cantaloupe. Fresh chopped mint and sliced green onions tie it all together with an herbal freshness.

Mound it on a bed of lettuce leaves and scatter chopped roasted peanuts on top for crunch.

Kitchen Tips

• Use rotisserie chicken, shredded while still warm, for the best texture and fastest prep
• Mince the ginger as fine as you possibly can. Big chunks of raw ginger are unpleasant to bite into
• Toss the chicken with the figs, green onions, and mint first, then add the dressing with the remaining ingredients. This layers the flavors more evenly
• Serve on a chilled platter. The cold lettuce and cool fruit against the room-temperature chicken is part of the experience

Variations

• Swap chicken for cooked shrimp for a Thai shrimp version
• Use mango cubes instead of cantaloupe when mangoes are in season
• Add rice noodles underneath the lettuce to turn this into a heartier noodle salad