Vietnamese Chicken and Cabbage Salad

Name: Vietnamese Chicken and Cabbage Salad
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 2 red chile peppers, seeded and minced; 1 garlic clove, minced; 2 tablespoons brown sugar or white sugar; 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice wine vinegar; 3 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed; 3 tablespoons fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam pla); 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; black pepper; 1 medium onion, thinly sliced; 2 cups shredded cooked chicken; 4 cups red cabbage, shredded; 1 cup carrot, shredded; ½ cup fresh mint, chopped or torn; ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped or torn; ½ cup fresh basil, chopped or torn (optional)

Recipe GLPRbbf0ddd04e33c3

Vietnamese

Salad

25 min

123 cal

Servings: 6

No-Cook

SNAP eligible

A vibrant, refreshing Vietnamese salad featuring shredded cabbage, carrots, and tender cooked chicken tossed with a tangy lime and fish sauce vinaigrette. Fresh herbs—mint, cilantro, and optional basil—add brightness and authentic Vietnamese flavor. The salad is dressed just before serving to keep vegetables crisp and crispy.

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Ingredients

2 red chile peppers, seeded and minced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons brown sugar or white sugar

1 tablespoon unseasoned rice wine vinegar

3 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed

3 tablespoons fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam pla)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

black pepper

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

4 cups red cabbage, shredded

1 cup carrot, shredded

½ cup fresh mint, chopped or torn

½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped or torn

½ cup fresh basil, chopped or torn (optional)

Directions

Prepare the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the minced chile peppers, minced garlic, and sugar. Stir well to combine, allowing the sugar to begin dissolving. Add the rice wine vinegar, lime juice, and fish sauce, stirring until the sugar is fully dissolved. Whisk in the vegetable oil until emulsified. Season with black pepper to taste. Set the vinaigrette aside.
Prepare the vegetables: Soak the shredded red cabbage in a bowl of cool water for about 5 minutes to soften it slightly and remove any bitterness. Drain well and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.
Assemble the salad: In a large serving bowl or on a platter, combine the drained cabbage, shredded carrot, sliced onion, and cooked chicken. Scatter the chopped mint and cilantro over the top. If using basil, add it as well.
Just before serving, pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional black pepper or lime juice if desired. Serve immediately.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4

Fish sauce is a legitimate trip to an Asian market or the international aisle at Harris Teeter—it's not standard in Food Lion or ALDI—but the rest of the ingredients are routine grocery store finds, and fish sauce is a pantry buy that lasts months. The cost per serving runs around $2 to $2.50, driven mainly by chicken; if you use a rotisserie bird or sale-priced breasts, you can push it under $2. The 25-minute claim is honest if your chicken is cooked before you start; add 20 to 30 minutes if you are poaching or roasting from raw. It reheats reasonably well, though the cabbage softens and the herbs lose brightness, so it's best eaten fresh the same day or within a day.