Crisp and Fresh Vietnamese Chicken Salad

This crisp Vietnamese Chicken Salad mixes 12 oz (350 g) of poached chicken with shredded produce. Letting the dressed ingredients sit for 5 minutes softens the greens into a slaw-like consistency. A single batch yields enough food to feed 3 to 4 adults as a filling main meal.

The dressing

Put 0.25 cup fish sauce, 2 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp white sugar, 0.25 cup canola oil, 1 minced large garlic clove, and 2 tsp minced red chili in a jar. Fish sauce adds umami and saltiness, but you must dilute it with the sweet and sour liquids so it does not overpower the salad. Shake the mixture vigorously and set it aside for 10 minutes. The resting time blends the flavors together.

The cabbage

Measure out 6 heaped cups of finely shredded wombok (Napa) cabbage. Stick to the upper two-thirds of the vegetable, because the lower section is far too crunchy and will interfere with the soft consistency of the final dish. Make a pair of lengthwise incisions down the leafy top portion before shredding it.

You can use other cabbages if necessary. Green cabbage works, but you must toss it in the dressing for thirty minutes before you add the other ingredients. Iceberg lettuce is another option. Do not let iceberg lettuce rest in the dressing. It will become unpleasantly soggy. Toss it and serve it right away.

The chicken and vegetables

Poached chicken breasts are tender enough to meld seamlessly into the shredded vegetables. A precooked roast chicken from the grocery store works as a convenient substitute. Slice 12 oz (350 g) of cooked chicken, and then cut those slices into half-centimeter batons.

Process the remaining vegetables by cutting 1 red bell pepper (capsicum) into thin batons and slicing 0.5 red onion very finely until it becomes floppy. Peel and julienne 1 large carrot. A regular kitchen grater works just as well if you do not own a specialized device to process carrots. Remove the seeds from a couple of short Lebanese cucumbers, then slice them into half moons. You can achieve the identical yield by using just 1 long English cucumber.

Split 1 large chili lengthwise and scrape out the seeds before slicing it. Use a large red cayenne chili for less heat, or leave the chili out entirely for a mild dish.

Measure 1 cup tightly packed mint leaves and 1 cup tightly packed cilantro (coriander) leaves. You must press the leaves down hard in the cup to get the right volume. Loose herbs fill the cup too fast and leave you with half the required amount. Pick standard mint instead of Vietnamese mint. Vietnamese mint turns too peppery when you use a full cup.

Mixing and resting

Place all the greens, chopped vegetables, and chicken into a very large bowl. Pour half of the dressing over the ingredients and toss well with tongs.

Leave the bowl alone for 5 minutes so the vegetables can soften slightly. After the brief rest, mix the ingredients a second time to lift the juices pooling at the base of the bowl. Pour in almost all of the remaining dressing, stir everything together, and take a quick bite. You can add any leftover liquid from the jar if you want a stronger flavor.

Serving and storage

Mince 0.5 cup of roasted unsalted peanuts into a fine dust to ensure the pieces integrate deeply into the salad. Pepitas, cashews, and sunflower seeds serve as effective substitutes. Cover each individual plate with a heavy layer of the chopped nuts, and provide more on the side for self-service. By omitting the chicken, you can convert the dish into a side salad.

The dressed salad does not store well. The cabbage releases water and wilts heavily in the fridge. To prepare the meal ahead of time, store the chopped ingredients in separate containers and apply the dressing right before you eat.