Serves 4
40 min
Crunchy Chicken Salad
Recipe GLPR6c2a7628087732
A vibrant Southeast Asian-inspired salad featuring poached chicken shredded into a crisp slaw of cabbage, carrots, and onion, dressed with a tangy fish sauce and lime vinaigrette. Fresh herbs and a spicy-savory nuoc cham dipping sauce complete this light, flavorful dish.
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Ingredients
2 tbsp Vietnamese fish sauce or Thai fish sauce
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp sugar, divided
½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 small red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
200g white cabbage, finely shredded
2 medium carrots, finely shredded
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled
3 fresh red chillies, halved and seeded
1 tbsp caster sugar
3 tbsp Vietnamese fish sauce or Thai fish sauce
3 tbsp rice vinegar
6 tbsp water
Fresh mint leaves for garnish
2 tbsp salted peanuts, very finely chopped
Directions
Fill a medium wok or deep frying pan halfway with water and add 2 tbsp of fish sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Gently lower the chicken breasts into the simmering water, cover with a lid, and cook for 10 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove the chicken with tongs and set on a cutting board to cool until it can be handled comfortably.
While the chicken cools, combine the remaining 2 tbsp fish sauce, lime juice, 1 tbsp sugar, and coarsely ground black pepper in a large bowl. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Add the finely chopped red chilli, shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, and sliced onion. Toss everything together until well combined.
Once the cooled chicken is easy to handle, shred it into bite-sized pieces using two forks or your fingertips. Add the shredded chicken to the salad bowl along with the roughly chopped mint and coriander. Toss gently but thoroughly to combine all ingredients. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld.
To make the nuoc cham dipping sauce, use a pestle and mortar to pound the peeled garlic cloves, halved and seeded red chillies, and caster sugar together into a coarse paste. Transfer the paste to a small bowl and stir in the 3 tbsp fish sauce, rice vinegar, and water. Mix until well combined. The sauce can be made up to 4 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
To serve, give the salad a final toss and taste for flavor, adding more sugar if desired. Arrange fresh mint leaves on individual plates, then pile the chicken salad on top. Sprinkle each serving generously with the finely chopped salted peanuts. Serve with small bowls of the nuoc cham sauce on the side for drizzling.
