Teriyaki Chicken Crispy Rice Salad

My viral crispy rice salads takes on a sweet and salty kick with this Teriyaki Chicken Crispy Rice Salad. It comes together with a simple rotisserie chicken tossed in a creamy teriyaki sauce and added to a bed of crisp Persian cucumbers, crunchy red cabbage, and a perfect crispy rice. And, it’s all finished off with a creamy sesame ginger dressing that you’re sure to love.

Of all of the crispy rice salads that I’ve shared recently, I’ve yet to share a chicken one. Can you believe it? Truly, there is nothing I love more than a delicious salad that’s loaded with tender, juicy chicken. It’s what I eat for lunch most days of the week, and, ever since I created my OG Crispy Rice Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing (which has over 11 million views on Instagram and counting!) I’ve been adding chicken breast to it for some extra protein, and it has truly made for the perfect meal. So, when I was dreaming up my next crispy rice salad recipe, I knew that it needed to be a chicken-based one. And, lo and behold, this Teriyaki Chicken Crispy Rice Salad was born!

If you think teriyaki chicken is hard to make, think again. No, this isn’t your traditional grilled teriyaki chicken recipe. But, it does have all of the same flavors and textures of teriyaki chicken that you know and love… just made easier! The chicken in this salad comes together with just a simple pre-made rotisserie chicken that is shredded and tossed in a delicious, salty teriyaki sauce. I use a bottled sauce to make this easy, but if you want to make your own, see my instructions below!

What You Need to Make This Viral Crispy Rice Salad

• Rice: Of course, it wouldn’t be a crispy rice salad without the rice! I like using jasmine rice for this recipe, but any type of rice will work well.
• Sesame Oil: A touch of sesame oil adds a toasty, nutty flavor to the rice that is truly unbeatable.
• Teriyaki Sauce: Of course, it wouldn’t be a teriyaki chicken salad without the teriyaki sauce! You can use a pre-made teriyaki sauce or use my instructions below to make your own!
• Rotisserie Chicken: I like to keep my recipes as easy to throw together as possible, which is why I love using a rotisserie chicken to make things simple.
• Persian Cucumbers: Persian cucumbers are small and crunchy, making them perfect for this salad. You can also opt to use a larger English cucumber, if you prefer – just be sure to slice it thin!
• Red Cabbage: Red cabbage is perfectly crisp and tastes delicious alongside the crunchy cucumbers.
• Cilantro: I love adding in lots of cilantro for that delicious, herby flavor.
• Peanuts: Crunchy, salted peanuts add the perfect crunch to this salad!

• Olive Oil: Olive oil is full of healthy fats and makes for the perfect base for this dressing.
• Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos: If you’re gluten-sensitive, use coconut aminos. If not, you can use traditional soy sauce. Both work just as well!
• Rice Vinegar: A touch of rice vinegar adds the perfect balance of flavor to the dressing.
• Maple Syrup: Maple syrup adds just the right amount of sweetness to this dressing – don’t skip this!
• Cashew Butter: Cashew butter makes the dressing thick and creamy, while adding a more mild flavor than peanut butter.
• Garlic: I always recommend using fresh garlic, whenever possible. It adds the best flavor to this dressing!
• Ginger: I recommend using fresh ginger in this recipe for the sharpest ginger flavor.

How to Make This Crispy Teriyaki Chicken Salad

To make this salad, start by preparing the crispy rice. Preheat your oven to 400 F. Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.

Cook the rice according to your preferred method and allow it to cool fully. Then, add it to the baking sheet. Toss the cooled rice with the sesame oil and teriyaki sauce. Then, transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake the rice for 30-40 minutes, or until it’s nice and crispy. Toss it halfway through, to ensure that it cooks evenly.

While the rice is in the oven, prepare the chicken. Remove the bones from the rotisserie chicken and shred it into small pieces. Toss the shredded chicken with the teriyaki sauce, then set it aside. Toss the shredded chicken with the teriyaki sauce, then set it aside. Once the crispy rice is done, remove it from the oven and set it aside.

Next, prepare the salad. Wash and chop the Persian cucumbers, red cabbage, cilantro, and salted peanuts, and add them to a large bowl. Then, add in the teriyaki chicken and the crispy rice to the bowl with the salad.

Finally, prepare the dressing by adding all of the dressing ingredients (the olive oil, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, cashew butter, garlic, and fresh ginger) to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour the dressing on top of the salad, then toss to fully combine. Once it’s done, serve and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to three days.

How to Make Your Own Teriyaki Sauce

While you can easily use a pre-made teriyaki sauce to keep this recipe simple, you can also make your own! This simple recipe for a homemade teriyaki sauce can be prepped ahead and stored in your fridge to toss over your favorite chicken or veggies, or to use whenever you make this recipe (because I know you’re going to want to make it often!)

To make the teriyaki sauce, you’ll need…

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon mirin (optional, but adds a sweeter flavor)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

To make the sauce, add all of the ingredients to a small saucepan, on the stove, over medium heat. Whisk them together until they’re fully combined, then allow the sauce to simmer for 5-10 minutes until it thickens. Once it’s done, serve and enjoy – that’s it!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.

** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim