Peanut Zucchini Noodle Salad with Chicken (30-Minute Meal!)

This peanut zucchini noodle salad with chicken has become my absolute favorite way to enjoy fresh vegetables when I’m craving something that’s both incredibly satisfying and surprisingly light. The first time I made this colorful bowl of goodness, I couldn’t believe how a simple peanut dressing could transform humble spiralized vegetables into something so crave-worthy and restaurant-quality.

What I love most about this peanut zucchini noodle salad with chicken is how it hits every single flavor note—creamy, tangy, slightly sweet, with just the right amount of heat from the sriracha. The combination of textures is absolutely perfect too: tender zucchini noodles, crunchy cabbage, sweet carrots, and that satisfying bite from the roasted peanuts on top.

This recipe came into my life during one of those seasons when I was trying to eat more vegetables but didn’t want to sacrifice flavor or satisfaction. The genius of spiralizing the vegetables is that you get all the fun of eating noodles with a fraction of the carbs and tons more nutrients. Plus, the creamy peanut dressing is so rich and flavorful that you forget you’re eating something incredibly healthy.

The best part? This entire peanut zucchini noodle salad with chicken comes together in just 30 minutes, most of which is spent spiralizing vegetables—and even that feels therapeutic and fun. Using rotisserie chicken makes this a truly weeknight-friendly meal that doesn’t skimp on protein or flavor.

Why This Peanut Zucchini Noodle Salad with Chicken Works

This peanut zucchini noodle salad with chicken is the perfect example of how eating healthy doesn’t mean eating boring. The creamy peanut butter dressing brings all the rich, satisfying flavors of your favorite Thai restaurant dish, while the spiralized vegetables provide incredible freshness and crunch.

The combination of zucchini, red cabbage, and carrots creates the most beautiful rainbow of colors and textures. The zucchini noodles are mild and tender, the red cabbage adds a satisfying crunch and gorgeous purple color, while the carrots bring natural sweetness that balances the savory peanut dressing perfectly.

What makes this recipe especially brilliant is how the peanut dressing recipe makes more than you need for one salad. You’ll have extra dressing that keeps beautifully in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, ready to transform any simple salad into something extraordinary.

Ingredients

For the Creamy Peanut Dressing:

• ¾ cup creamy natural peanut butter
• ¾ cup hot water
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
• 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Sriracha)
• 1 teaspoon grated garlic

For the Salad:

• 4 cups spiralized zucchini (1 large zucchini)
• 3 cups spiralized red cabbage (about ½ small head)
• 1 cup spiralized carrot (1 large carrot)
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (8 ounces)
• ¼ cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts

Instructions

Step 1: Create the Magic Peanut Dressing In your blender, combine the peanut butter, hot water, lime juice, brown sugar, tamari (or soy sauce), fish sauce, hot sauce, and grated garlic. The hot water is key here—it helps the peanut butter blend smoothly and creates that perfect creamy consistency. Pulse until the mixture is completely smooth and gorgeous. This dressing is so good, you’ll want to put it on everything!

Step 2: Prepare Your Beautiful Vegetable Noodles In a large bowl, combine your spiralized zucchini, red cabbage, carrots, and fresh cilantro. If you don’t have a spiralizer, don’t worry—you can use a vegetable peeler to create ribbons or julienne everything with a sharp knife. The goal is to create thin, noodle-like strips that will hold the dressing beautifully.

Step 3: Dress and Assemble Add 1 cup of your amazing peanut dressing to the vegetable mixture and toss everything together until every strand is perfectly coated. The colors at this point are absolutely stunning! Top your salad with the shredded rotisserie chicken and sprinkle with those chopped peanuts for the perfect finishing touch.

Step 4: Serve Immediately This peanut zucchini noodle salad with chicken is best enjoyed fresh, when all the vegetables are at their crispiest and the flavors are bright and vibrant. Serve immediately and watch everyone’s faces light up with that first bite!

this Recipe

Tips & Variations

Spiralizing Success: If you don’t have a spiralizer, you can use a vegetable peeler to create ribbons, or simply julienne the vegetables with a sharp knife. The key is getting thin, noodle-like pieces that will absorb the dressing well.

Make-Ahead Magic: While this salad is best served fresh, you can make the peanut dressing up to 3 days ahead and store it in the refrigerator. The spiralized vegetables can also be prepped a day ahead and stored separately.

Protein Swaps: Rotisserie chicken makes this incredibly easy, but grilled chicken, shrimp, tofu, or even edamame would be delicious alternatives. For a vegetarian version, try adding more nuts or some hemp seeds for protein.

Vegetable Variations: This recipe is incredibly flexible! Try spiralized bell peppers, cucumber, or even sweet potato. Thinly sliced snow peas or bean sprouts would add great crunch too.

Heat Level: Adjust the sriracha to your taste preference. Start with less if you’re sensitive to heat, or add more if you love it spicy. A pinch of red pepper flakes works well too.

Nut-Free Option: For those with peanut allergies, you can substitute the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter or tahini for a completely different but equally delicious flavor profile.

The Secret to Perfect Peanut Dressing

The magic of this peanut zucchini noodle salad with chicken lies in the dressing balance. Great peanut dressing should be creamy but not thick, sweet but not cloying, with just enough acid from the lime juice to brighten everything up. The fish sauce adds an incredible depth of umami that makes this dressing irresistible.

Using hot water to thin the peanut butter is crucial—it helps create that smooth, pourable consistency that coats the vegetables perfectly. If your dressing seems too thick, add a little more hot water, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach the perfect consistency.

Why Your Body Will Love This Salad

This peanut zucchini noodle salad with chicken is a nutritional powerhouse that doesn’t feel like health food. The spiralized vegetables provide tons of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants while keeping the calories low. The peanut butter adds healthy fats and protein, while the rotisserie chicken provides lean protein to keep you satisfied.

At just 8 cups total, this recipe serves four generously while being naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and packed with nutrients. It’s proof that eating well can be absolutely delicious and satisfying.

Storage and Serving

This peanut zucchini noodle salad with chicken is definitely best enjoyed fresh to maintain the crisp texture of the vegetables. However, leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, though the vegetables will soften slightly.

For entertaining, this salad looks gorgeous served in a large, shallow bowl where all the beautiful colors can shine. It’s perfect for potlucks, summer gatherings, or anytime you want to impress with something healthy and delicious.

Making Extra Dressing Worth It

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that the peanut dressing makes more than you need for one salad. Store that extra dressing in the refrigerator and use it throughout the week on simple green salads, as a dip for fresh vegetables, or even as a sauce for grilled chicken or fish.

The dressing keeps beautifully for up to 3 days and actually improves in flavor as the ingredients meld together. Just give it a good stir before using, as natural separation is completely normal.

This peanut zucchini noodle salad with chicken has become one of those recipes that I make again and again, especially during busy weeks when I need something quick, healthy, and absolutely delicious. There’s something so satisfying about a meal that comes together this quickly but delivers such complex, restaurant-quality flavors.

The combination of textures and flavors in every bite—creamy, crunchy, sweet, savory, and fresh—makes this salad anything but boring. It’s the kind of recipe that proves healthy eating can be a real pleasure, not a sacrifice.

I hope this becomes one of your go-to recipes for those times when you want something light but satisfying, quick but impressive, healthy but absolutely delicious.

From my kitchen to yours—happy cooking!