Start by cooking your chicken if you haven’t already. It can be grilled, poached, or baked. I prefer shredding roasted chicken for an added depth of flavor. Once cooked, let it cool, and then shred it into bite-sized pieces.

Grab those fresh veggies! Grate the carrots and slice the cabbage finely. The goal here is to ensure that each bite has a bit of everything, so keep things small and manageable. Don’t forget to chop the cilantro and green onions; they add brightness to the dish.

If you're using papaya or mango, peel and grate them now. These fruits play well with the savory components, giving a lovely sweetness to the salad.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken, grated carrots, finely shredded cabbage, chopped cilantro, sliced green onions, and optional fruits. Add the red serrano chilies for that spicy kick. Toss everything well until mixed.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sambal oelek, rice vinegar, water, sugar, minced ginger, minced garlic, creamy peanut butter, toasted sesame oil, and fish sauce if using. Adjust the consistency with more water if necessary for your preferred drizzling style.

Pour the peanut dressing over the salad mixture. Toss to combine thoroughly, ensuring every bit of the salad is coated in that tangy, nutty goodness.

If time allows, cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This helps the flavors meld beautifully. If you can wait longer, even better!

Before serving, toss in the chopped roasted peanuts and sesame seeds for extra crunch. Plate it up and get ready for compliments!