Vietnamese Napa Cabbage Chicken Salad
Servings: 6 Servings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken
- 6 cups thinly shredded cabbage (regular or Napa)
- 1 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs: rau ram Vietnamese coriander, mint, basil, or cilantro
- ¼ cup shredded carrots
- Crushed roasted peanuts
For the marinade:
- 1 tablespoon crushed or
- grated fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon sugar
For the fish sauce dressing:
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red chile minced
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
Instructions
Make the chicken:
- In a large bowl, combine all the chicken marinade ingredients. If your pieces of chicken are thick, place them between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound them with a meat mallet to an even ½-inch (12mm) thickness.
- Remove the plastic wrap and add the chicken to the marinade. Let it marinate for 20 minutes.
- Heat a grill or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook the chicken until it is browned and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- Let cool, then shred or chop the chicken.
Make the fish sauce dressing:
- In a medium bowl or large jar, combine all the dressing ingredients with ¾ cup (180 ml) water and mix well.
- Allow the sugar to completely dissolve before using. (You can store the dressing in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.)
- In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, herbs, and carrots.
- Add the chicken to the bowl with the cabbage and toss to combine.
- Add dressing to taste before serving.
- Top the salad with the peanuts and serve.
Notes
Editor’s Note: Make sure to use gluten-free fish sauce in this recipe to ensure that it’s safe for your needs.