Vietnamese Chicken Salad

(6)
Vietnamese Chicken Salad
Servings:
4

Susan Sugarman, former senior food editor of Martha Stewart Living, likes to prepare a simple Vietnamese chicken salad using savoy or Chinese cabbage and thinly sliced poached chicken. The salad's distinctive flavor comes from a combination of mint, cilantro, Vietnamese fish sauce, and roasted peanuts.

Ingredients

  • 1 skinless and boneless chicken breast

  • ¾ teaspoon chile paste

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1 ½ tablespoons sugar

  • 1 tablespoon rice-wine vinegar

  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

  • 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (nam pla)

  • 3 tablespoons peanut oil

  • 6 cups (12 ounces) savoy cabbage, shredded

  • ½ cup fresh mint leaves, julienned

  • ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, julienned, plus sprigs for garnish

  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise

  • 1 fresh red or green small hot chile pepper

  • ½ seedless cucumber, julienned

  • 2 large carrots, peeled, julienned

  • 1 red bell pepper, julienned

  • cup roughly chopped peanuts, roasted

Directions

  1. Bring a stockpot of water to a simmer. Add chicken to simmering water, and poach until the meat is firm and the juices run clear when pierced with a two-pronged fork, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove chicken from the water, and thinly slice it lengthwise. Set aside.

  2. In a small bowl, whisk together chile paste, garlic, sugar, rice-wine vinegar, lime juice, fish sauce, and peanut oil until well combined. Set aside.

  3. In a medium bowl, toss together cabbage, mint, and cilantro, and place on a large platter. Top the cabbage mixture with the onion, pepper, cucumber, carrots, bell pepper, and chicken. Drizzle with the reserved dressing, garnish with peanuts and cilantro sprigs, and serve.

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