Vietnamese Shredded Chicken Salad

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Salad as a meal? Yes, please! This quick and easy Vietnamese shredded chicken salad is packed with bright, spicy Southeast Asian flavors.

Vietnamese Shredded Chicken Salad in Bowl with Lime Wedges

As much as I love salad as a meal, it’s not usually enough for my husband, who is more of a protein-and-two-sides kind of guy. However, this is one salad I can get away with serving for dinner—it’s satisfying and packed with bright, spicy Southeast Asian flavors. Plus, it’s a breeze to make. Just shred a rotisserie chicken, chop some veggies, whisk the dressing, and voila—dinner is done! The recipe makes enough for 2 to 3 main course salads, and if you want to round out the meal, just add some store-bought crispy spring rolls on the side.

“Delicious and the perfect light meal for a warm summer night!”

Cindy

What You’ll Need To Make Vietnamese Shredded Chicken Salad

Vietnamese Shredded Chicken Salad Ingredients
  • Shredded Chicken: Adds protein and a savory flavor. Using store-bought rotisserie chicken makes this salad quick to pull together.
  • Napa Cabbage: The primary greens used in the salad providing a crunchy and refreshing texture. Feel free to buy the pre-shredded variety.
  • Scallions: Offer a mild onion flavor and a bit of bite.
  • Carrots: Add sweetness and vibrant color.
  • Red Bell Pepper: Contributes a sweet, crisp element and additional color.
  • Fresh Mint: Enhances the salad with a bright, herbal note.
  • Fresh Cilantro: Adds a fresh, citrusy flavor.
  • Peanuts: Provide a crunchy, nutty element. These should be added right before serving the salad.
  • Fresh Lime Juice: Adds a tangy, zesty flavor to the dressing.
  • Sriracha Sauce: Brings a subtle spicy kick.
  • Garlic: Infuses the dressing with a robust, aromatic flavor.
  • Sugar: Balances the acidity and heat with a touch of sweetness.
  • Fish Sauce: Adds a deep, savory umami layer to the dressing and gives it an authentic Vietnamese flavor.
  • Vegetable Oil: Creates a smooth, emulsified dressing.
  • Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Step-by-Step Instructions

In a large salad bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients except for the peanuts.

Vietnamese Shredded Chicken Salad Ingredients in Bowl

In a separate bowl or jar, combine all of the ingredients for the dressing; whisk or shake until the sugar is dissolved.

emulsified dressing

Right before serving, add the dressing to the salad.

adding dressing to the salad

Toss to combine.

tossed salad in mixing bowl

Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the peanuts. Serve cold.

Vietnamese Shredded Chicken Salad on Platter with Lime Wedges and Scallions

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Vietnamese Shredded Chicken Salad

Salad as a meal? Yes, please! This quick and easy Vietnamese shredded chicken salad is packed with bright, spicy Southeast Asian flavors.

Servings: 2 to 3 main dish salads, 4 side salads

Ingredients

For the Salad

  • 2 heaping cups cooked shredded chicken, from one store-bought rotisserie chicken
  • 4 cups shredded napa cabbage
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup grated or matchstick carrots
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced into bite-sized pieces
  • ½ cup roughly chopped fresh mint
  • ½ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
  • ½ cup chopped peanuts

For the Dressing

  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice, from about 3 limes
  • 2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce (preferably a brand imported from Thailand or Vietnam)
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

  1. In a large salad bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients except for the peanuts. In a separate bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the dressing; whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Right before serving, toss the dressing with the salad. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the peanuts. Serve cold.

Pair with

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (4 servings)
  • Calories: 417
  • Fat: 30g
  • Saturated fat: 5g
  • Carbohydrates: 20g
  • Sugar: 12g
  • Fiber: 5g
  • Protein: 20g
  • Sodium: 1169mg
  • Cholesterol: 50mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Gluten-Free Adaptable Note

To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.

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Comments

  • Yummy, fresh, and easy and a good way to use up rotisserie chicken!

  • I’ve typed very favorable reviews for this two times. When I try to send them, I get a message that says the site is no longer available. Just thought you’d want to know. Very frustrating!

    • That’s so strange! I do see this one came though which is a good sign. I haven’t gotten complaints from others about it and wasn’t able to duplicate the problem myself, so I suspect it may be specific to your computer. I would suggest going onto the blog using a different internet browser. Oftentimes, those annoying glitches can be resolved by using a different browser. Please let me know if I can help in any other way!

  • Oh this was delicious!

  • I made this for a girls night! It was a hit and a welcome change. I grilled chicken breasts ahead of time. Kept the cilantro on the side!

  • I call this recipe the “two hour salad” because it takes me that long to make it (I am not a fast chopper), but the time is worth it because it’s delicious, flavorful, filling and healthy and is a regular meal for us now. My first time making anything using fish sauce and I was a little hesitant but my family loved it and requests this all the time.

  • I made this salad just last week with some leftover chicken I had made earlier in the week. It was absolutely delicious! I loved the crunch of napa cabbage and peanuts and heat from the sriracha in the dressing. I also added avocado to my salad. I plan on making this again when I visit my son and daughter-in -law.

  • This is such a great recipe! Very flavorful and light. The only change I made was substituting radish for peppers because my husband can’t eat them. Another one to save!

  • I’m not a huge salad fan, but I love this one. The mint, peanuts and cilantro add a lot to it -but mostly, it’s the whole combination that is perfect — and the dressing is wonderful. I’ve been making it every couple weeks since discovering it, and can honestly say that it’s the only salad I’ve ever looked at my husband while eating it and said “I love this stuff!”

  • Absolutely delicious!

    • Absolutely delicious! Thank you!

  • I only had regular cabbage, but it was still outstanding! I’ll be making it again!

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