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Vietnamese Chicken Salad Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 107 reviews

A vibrant and refreshing Vietnamese Chicken Salad featuring tender cooked chicken, crisp wombok cabbage, fresh herbs, and a tangy, flavorful dressing. This salad combines crunchy vegetables with aromatic mint and coriander, all tossed in a light lime and fish sauce dressing, topped with crunchy peanuts for a perfect balance of textures and flavors. Ideal for a light lunch or a healthy appetizer.

Ingredients

Scale

Salad Ingredients

  • 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 (so it’s 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 (or shredded)
  • 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 Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce (substitute with light or all-purpose soy sauce if preferred)
  • 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 preferred)

Instructions

  1. Prepare 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 all the ingredients thoroughly. Set the dressing aside for at least 10 minutes to let the flavors meld together.
  2. Assemble the Salad: In a very large bowl, place the cooked chicken batons, shredded wombok cabbage, sliced red onion, sliced red capsicum, halved cucumber slices, julienned carrot, optional julienned chilli, torn mint leaves, and coriander leaves. Pour over half of the prepared dressing and toss everything well to ensure the vegetables and chicken are evenly coated.
  3. Let the Salad Rest: Allow the salad to sit for about 5 minutes. This rest period lets the vegetables soften slightly, creating a more slaw-like texture, and helps all the flavors to blend together.
  4. Final Toss and Serve: Just before serving, toss the salad again to redistribute the dressing. Add most of the remaining dressing, taste, and adjust by adding more if desired. Serve the salad sprinkled generously with finely chopped roasted peanuts for added crunch and flavor.

Notes

  • Note 1: Use cooked chicken breasts, either poached, roasted, or grilled, cooled and sliced into thin batons for best texture.
  • Note 2: Wombok cabbage, also called Napa cabbage, provides a mild, crunchy base similar to a slaw.
  • Note 3: The chilli is optional and can be adjusted to your preferred heat level. Birds eye or Thai Red Chilli are recommended for authentic flavor.
  • Note 4: Fresh herbs like mint and coriander are essential for authentic Vietnamese flavor; large leaves torn by hand release more aroma.
  • Note 5: Roasted unsalted peanuts add a crunchy texture and nutty flavor; chopping them finely helps distribute the crunch evenly.
  • Note 6: Add more peanuts on top when serving for enhanced texture and presentation.

Keywords: Vietnamese Chicken Salad, Wombok Cabbage Salad, Vietnamese Salad, Chicken Slaw, Fresh Herb Salad, Asian Chicken Salad

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