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Vietnamese Chicken Salad Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 131 reviews

A vibrant and refreshing Vietnamese Chicken Salad featuring shredded wombok cabbage, fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, and a tangy, flavorful dressing balanced with fish sauce, lime juice, and a hint of chili. Perfect for a light lunch or a colorful side dish.

Ingredients

Scale

Salad Ingredients

  • 350g (12oz) cooked chicken, cut into thin batons (about 2 large cooked breasts)
  • 6 heaped cups wombok cabbage (Napa cabbage), finely shredded
  • 1/2 red onion, very finely sliced
  • 1 red capsicum (bell pepper), finely sliced into thin batons
  • 2 cucumbers, seeds removed and finely sliced into half moons (or 1 long continental/English cucumber)
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and julienned (or shredded)
  • 1 large chilli, deseeded and julienned (optional)
  • 1 cup tightly packed mint leaves, large leaves roughly torn by hand
  • 1 cup tightly packed coriander/cilantro leaves

Dressing Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce (or substitute light/all-purpose soy sauce)
  • 1/4 cup canola oil (or vegetable, grapeseed, or peanut oil)
  • 1 tbsp white sugar
  • 1 large garlic clove, very finely minced
  • 2 tsp red chilli, deseeded and very finely minced (bird’s eye or Thai red chilli preferred)

Topping

  • 1/2 cup peanuts, roasted unsalted, finely chopped (~1/3 cup once chopped)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Dressing: Combine lime juice, rice vinegar, fish sauce, canola oil, white sugar, minced garlic, and finely minced red chilli in a jar. Shake well and set aside for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
  2. Toss the Salad: In a very large bowl, add wombok cabbage, cooked chicken, red onion, red capsicum, cucumbers, carrot, optional chilli, mint leaves, and coriander leaves. Pour over half of the prepared dressing and toss everything together thoroughly. Let the salad sit for 5 minutes to slightly soften the vegetables, creating a slaw-like texture.
  3. Final Toss: Just before serving, toss the salad again and add most of the remaining dressing. Taste and add more dressing according to your preference to enhance the flavor.
  4. Serve: Plate the salad and generously sprinkle the finely chopped roasted peanuts on top for added crunch and nutty flavor.

Notes

  • Note 1: Use cooked chicken breasts, shredded or cut into thin batons for texture.
  • Note 2: Wombok cabbage can be substituted with Napa cabbage or similar crunchy cabbage.
  • Note 3: Adjust the amount of chili to your heat preference. Removing seeds reduces the spiciness.
  • Note 4: Fresh herbs like mint and coriander are essential for authentic flavor.
  • Note 5: Peanuts should be unsalted and roasted, finely chopped to sprinkle on top.
  • Note 6: The salad tastes best when served shortly after tossing with dressing and sprinkled with peanuts to maintain freshness and crunch.

Keywords: Vietnamese chicken salad, wombok cabbage salad, fresh herb salad, light lunch, no-cook salad, Asian salad, healthy chicken salad

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