Vietnamese Chicken Salad

Vietnamese Chicken Salad is loaded with fresh herbs, vegetables and will rock your world with flavor!  It’s the perfect healthy dinner for two!

I love hearty fall foods.  However, sometimes you just want something different and healthy!  This Vietnamese-inspired chicken salad is the perfect “time-out” from all the heavy fall foods.  It sings with flavor and freshness and will rock your chicken salad world!

Vietnamese food is considered to be one of the most healthful cuisines worldwide because of its strong reliance on fresh herbs and vegetables.  The cuisine has complex flavors and can seem mysterious, but all the ingredients for this salad are available in any grocery store any time of the year.

How to make Vietnamese Chicken Salad:

This Vietnamese chicken salad starts with chicken marinated in fresh ginger, garlic, lime juice, a bit of oil and fish sauce–a dominant ingredient in Vietnamese cuisine.  Fish sauce is made through a fermentation process but don’t let that throw you.  The result is quite tasty and you may already be using another fish-based sauce known as Worcestershire.  If you are allergic to fish, use a vegan Worcestershire (available at Whole Foods) or soy sauce instead.

The chicken is easy to do on a stovetop grill pan if the weather prevents you from using your outdoor grill. I’m a fan of cast iron grill pans, however, non-stick also works well.

Before grilling, pound the chicken slightly so that it’s an even thickness. Place on a grill pan that’s been preheated over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook approximately five minutes per side. The chicken is cooked through when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

The dressing has Serrano peppers, which look similar to a jalapeno but pack more heat.  They are not as fleshy as a jalapeno, which makes them ideal to use raw in sauces and dressings.

For the two of us, I like to purchase pre-shredded angel hair coleslaw in bags because I don’t want to be faced with finding a use for the remainder of a head of cabbage.  Bagged shredded carrots are another great convenience product.

Enjoy!

Helpful tools and equipment to make Vietnamese Chicken Salad  (Affiliate Links):

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Yield: 2

Vietnamese Chicken Salad

Vietnamese Chicken Salad is loaded with fresh herbs, vegetables and will rock your world with flavor!  It's the perfect healthy dinner for two!

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Vietnamese Chicken Salad is loaded with fresh herbs, vegetables and will rock your world with flavor!  It's the perfect healthy dinner for two!

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

• CHICKEN
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• Canola oil or cooking spray
• DRESSING
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 2 serrano peppers
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• TO FINISH SALAD
• 3 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 medium English cucumber, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
• 4 scallions, white and light green part only, thinly sliced diagonally
• 1/4 cup mint leaves, torn
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, torn
• Dry roasted peanuts

Instructions

1. CHICKEN: Combine ginger, garlic, lime juice, oil, fish sauce and chili garlic sauce in a small bowl.
2. Pound chicken breasts slightly so they are an even thickness. Place in a zipper-top bag, add marinade and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
3. Preheat a grill pan to medium-high.
4. Add oil or cooking spray, remove chicken from marinade, place chicken on the grill pan and cook 5-7 minutes per side or until cooked through to 165 degrees. Cool, then thinly slice or shred.
5. DRESSING: Combine dressing ingredients in a mini food processor or blender. Process until smooth.
6. TO FINISH SALAD: Combine chicken, cabbage, carrots, cucumber, scallion, mint leaves, cilantro leaves in a bowl. Toss with dressing.
7. Place in bowls or on a plate, top with dry roasted peanuts and serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 756Total Fat: 45gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 37gCholesterol: 146mgSodium: 3173mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 8gSugar: 18gProtein: 55g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.

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