Description
A light and refreshing salad featuring poached chicken, fresh herbs, and a tangy fish sauce dressing. This Vietnamese classic balances sweet, salty, and tangy flavors, making it a perfect meal for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
For Poaching the Chicken:
- 1 green onion
- 1 inch ginger (about 25g), cut into matchsticks
- 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs
For the Dressing:
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 Thai bird’s eye chili, sliced (optional)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ cup fish sauce (see note)
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 cup cold water
For the Salad:
- 1 small cabbage, shaved or thinly sliced
- ¼ small onion, sliced
- ¼ cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
- 1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 ripe avocado, cubed
Instructions
- Poach the Chicken:
- Bring 2 cups of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the green onion, half of the ginger, and the chicken thighs. Ensure the water covers the chicken (add more water if necessary).
- Once the water comes back to a boil, reduce the heat to low. Poach the chicken, keeping the liquid below a boil, for 25 minutes.
- Prepare the Dressing:
- In a jar, combine the garlic, chili (if using), sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, remaining ginger, and 1 cup of cold water. Stir or shake well to mix, then set aside.
- Shred the Chicken:
- When the chicken is done, remove it to a bowl or cutting board. Save the broth for another use.
- Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Assemble the Salad:
- In a large platter or salad bowl, combine the cabbage, onion, mint, cilantro, and shredded chicken.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine.
- Top with cubed avocado before serving.
Notes
- Look for fish sauce bottles labeled mam nhi (first press) for the best flavor.
- You can also top the salad with commercial fried onions or shallots for extra crunch.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: salad
- Method: Poaching
- Cuisine: Vietnamese/Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 16g
- Cholesterol: 60mg