I am not fond of salads because most of the time, they serve it with a dressing that uses mayonnaise (which I dislike) or something similar. That said, sometimes it is nice to try something different.
This recipe for a Vietnamese-Style Chicken Salad comes from Marions’ Kitchen. She has a video of how she made the salad, as well as the detailed recipe, which is very important for people like me who are more cookbook cooks than instinctive chefs.
This was easy to make and a hit with the family. I will definitely make this again. Thank you, Marion, for the recipe.
I did make a few changes to the recipe, mainly because I have family members who don’t like spicy food. I also prefer lettuce to cabbage in my salads so I switched that out.
Here’s the adjusted recipe, if you want to replicate what I did:
Vietnamese-Style Chicken Salad
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I used air fried chicken thighs )
- 1 small carrot
- 1/2 head finely shredded lettuce
- 1/2 small red onion (about 1/4 if big onions are all you have)
- 1/4 cup finely sliced spring onion (scallions)
- 1/2 cup mint leaves
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
Dressing
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tbsp white vinegar (I used white rice wine vinegar)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
Crispy lumpia noodles
- 6 pcs lumpia wrapper (cut into strips)
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For the dressing, mix all the ingredients together. Set aside until ready to serve.Â
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To make the crispy wonton noodles, heat a small saucepan of oil over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the noodles and cook for a minute or until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. The noodles will crisp up even more as they cool.Â
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Place the chicken, carrot, lettuce, onion, spring onion, and mint, in a large bowl.Â
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Chop up the peanuts. I used a chopper but you can use a mortar and pestle too. Just make sure you don't chop too fine. Add these to the bowl with the chicken also.Â
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Pour the dressing and mix until well combined. Pile onto a serving plate. Use your fingers to crush the crispy wonton noodles over the top. Serve immediately.Â
Changes from the original recipe:
- The original recipe used cabbage. The lettuce worked better for me because I like my cabbage cooked.
- She also included some chilies and shallots. These felt more optional to me but do try it the way she recommended.
