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Vietnamese Chicken Salad Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 115 reviews

This vibrant Vietnamese Chicken Salad combines tender cooked chicken with crisp wombok cabbage, fresh herbs, and a tangy, spicy dressing. Perfect as a light meal or side dish, it features a refreshing blend of textures and flavors, including crunchy peanuts and aromatic coriander and mint.

Ingredients

Scale

Salad

  • 350g/12oz cooked chicken, cut into thin batons (2 large cooked breasts)
  • 6 heaped cups wombok cabbage (Napa cabbage), finely shredded
  • 1/2 red onion, very finely sliced (makes it floppy)
  • 1 red capsicum / bell pepper, finely sliced into thin batons
  • 2 cucumbers, seeds removed then finely sliced into half moons (or 1 long continental/English cucumber)
  • 1 large carrot, peeled then julienned (using a shredder)
  • 1 large chilli, deseeded then julienned (optional)
  • 1 cup (tightly packed) mint leaves, large leaves roughly torn by hand
  • 1 cup (tightly packed) coriander/cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 cup peanuts, roasted unsalted, finely chopped (~1/3 cup once chopped)

Dressing

  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce (substitute light or all-purpose soy sauce if needed)
  • 1/4 cup canola oil (or vegetable, grapeseed, peanut oil)
  • 1 tbsp white sugar
  • 1 large garlic clove, very finely minced
  • 2 tsp red chilli, deseeded then very finely minced (birds eye or Thai Red Chilli best)

Instructions

  1. Make the Dressing: Combine the lime juice, rice vinegar, fish sauce, canola oil, white sugar, minced garlic, and finely minced red chilli in a jar. Shake well to mix thoroughly and set aside for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld together.
  2. Toss the Salad: In a very large bowl, place the cooked chicken, wombok cabbage, red onion, red capsicum, cucumbers, carrot, large chilli (if using), mint, and coriander leaves. Pour half of the prepared dressing over the salad and toss well to coat all ingredients evenly. Let it sit for 5 minutes so the vegetables soften slightly, creating a slaw-like texture.
  3. Toss Again Before Serving: Just before serving, toss the salad again and add most of the remaining dressing. Taste and add more dressing if desired to suit your preference.
  4. Serve: Serve the salad sprinkled generously with the finely chopped roasted unsalted peanuts for added crunch and flavor.

Notes

  • Note 1: Use cooked chicken breasts, shredded or cut into thin batons for ease of eating and texture.
  • Note 2: Wombok or Napa cabbage provides the ideal crunch and mild flavor for this salad.
  • Note 3: Adjust the amount of chilli based on your heat preference; remove seeds to reduce spiciness.
  • Note 4: Fresh mint and coriander leaves add authentic aromatic flavors essential to Vietnamese cuisine.
  • Note 5: Roasted unsalted peanuts add a salty crunch that balances the fresh flavors; finely chop them for better distribution.
  • Note 6: Adding peanuts just before serving keeps them crunchy and enhances the overall texture.

Keywords: Vietnamese chicken salad, wombok cabbage salad, fresh chicken salad, Asian salad, no-cook chicken salad, healthy chicken salad, cilantro mint salad

Find it online: https://todayquickmeals.com/vietnamese-chicken-salad-recipe/