The Tasty Crousty craze has swept social feeds and kitchen counters alike. Teens rave about it. Street-food shops multiply. Now chef Tom Fauconnet, known as Toto Cuistot online, transforms the indulgent original into a lighter, crunchy salad that keeps the flavor without the excess. It’s bright, colorful, and built around one surprising idea: oven-crisped rice.
What you need for Toto Cuistot’s crunchy Tasty Crousty salad
Gather simple ingredients to recreate this viral salad at home. Quantities below serve about two people.
- 200 g cooked basmati rice (see tip for best results)
- 200 g chicken tenders, cooked and chopped
- 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- 1 avocado, diced
- About 1 small bowl of edamame (shelled)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Olive oil, soy sauce for seasoning
Ingredients for the spicy-creamy dressing
- 1 pot Greek yogurt or skyr
- 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon sriracha for heat
- 1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
- 1 tablespoon sweet-and-sour sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice or apple cider vinegar
Step-by-step: how to assemble the crunchy rice salad
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
- Spread the cooked basmati rice on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
- Drizzle oil and splash soy sauce over the rice. Toss to coat evenly.
- Bake the rice 15–25 minutes, until grains are golden and crisp.
- Meanwhile, slice the cucumber and red onion thinly.
- Halve the avocado, remove the pit, and dice the flesh.
- Chop the cooked tenders into bite-size pieces.
- Combine cucumber, avocado, edamame, onion and chicken in a large bowl.
- Add the crispy rice once it cools slightly and toss gently.
- Whisk the yogurt with mayonnaise, sriracha, teriyaki, sweet-and-sour sauce and vinegar.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until everything is coated.
- Finish with sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Pro tips to get perfectly crunchy rice every time
- Use day-old rice. Drier grains crisp more easily.
- Spread rice in a single layer so heat reaches all grains.
- Oil choices: olive, sesame, or canola work well for flavor and crisping.
- Adjust baking time for your oven. Check after 15 minutes.
- Precook rice fully. Uncooked rice will only dry out, not crisp.
- For extra crunch, toss the baked rice in a hot skillet for 1–2 minutes.
Flavor tweaks and healthier swaps for the viral salad
- Swap Greek yogurt for low-fat skyr to cut calories further.
- Use grilled chicken breast instead of breaded tenders for less fat.
- Replace sriracha with chili paste to vary the spice profile.
- Try brown rice or quinoa for more fiber.
- Add fresh herbs like cilantro or mint for extra brightness.
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