Description
A vibrant and refreshing Crunchy Vietnamese Chicken Salad featuring shredded cabbage, carrots, fresh herbs, and roasted peanuts, tossed with tender sautéed chicken and a tangy, sweet, and savory dressing made with fish sauce, lime juice, and rice vinegar. This salad offers a delightful combination of textures and flavors perfect for a light lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
Dressing
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 small red chili, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
Instructions
- Heat the oil: Heat a pan over medium heat and add the vegetable oil to warm it up.
- Sauté garlic: Once the oil is hot, add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Cook chicken: Add the shredded cooked chicken to the pan and stir in the soy sauce to infuse flavor.
- Heat chicken through: Cook the chicken for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally to allow it to absorb the soy sauce and heat thoroughly.
- Cool chicken: Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside to cool slightly.
- Prepare vegetables: In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded cabbage and carrots, tossing to mix evenly.
- Add herbs: Add the fresh cilantro and mint leaves into the vegetable mixture for herbal freshness.
- Add crunchy elements: Sprinkle the chopped roasted peanuts and sesame seeds over the salad for texture.
- Make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add chili: Thinly slice the red chili and stir it into the dressing for a bit of heat.
- Dress salad: Pour the dressing over the vegetable and herb mixture, tossing gently to coat everything well.
- Add chicken: Incorporate the cooked shredded chicken into the salad and toss again to combine all the flavors.
- Season: Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional fish sauce or lime juice if needed.
- Serve or chill: Serve the salad immediately to enjoy its crunch, or refrigerate briefly to allow the flavors to meld slightly before serving.
Notes
- For even more crunch, add thinly sliced radishes or toasted coconut flakes.
- This salad is best eaten fresh but can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours.
- If you prefer less heat, omit or reduce the red chili.
- Use cooked chicken from rotisserie or leftover grilled chicken to save time.
- Can be served as a main dish or a side salad.
