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.
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!”
What You’ll Need To Make Vietnamese Shredded Chicken Salad
- 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.
In a separate bowl or jar, combine all of the ingredients for the dressing; whisk or shake until the sugar is dissolved.
Right before serving, add the dressing to the salad.
Toss to combine.
Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the peanuts. Serve cold.
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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.
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
- 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
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- 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
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Hi Jenn
Every single recipe of yours is amazing, I cannot wait to make this, how long will it keep in fridge if I need to have lunches prepared up for an easy grab and go.
Hi Melissa, So glad you like the recipes! 🙂 Once you toss this salad with the dressing, it needs to be served right away. If you keep the dressing separate, it will keep a day or two in the fridge.
I just made this for the first time, my husband and I loved it! I realized after we were done eating that I forgot the peanuts so that’s a bummer. My husband doesn’t like peppers so I added some cucumber to his salad instead and it was great. So easy and fast to throw together for a weeknight dinner, with two lunch sized salads for tomorrow.
I think I would love this salad except for the cilantro. I don’t mind a little bit of that flavor but not too much. Can I use parsley instead of cilantro? or would that ruin the salad? Thanks for your help and your great recipes!
Hi Char, I would just omit it – it will still be delish. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
I LOVE this salad and am making this for a vegetarian friend – I’d like to add some tofu to it. Any suggestions how I might prep it? I could throw it in right from the package but seems like it would need something. Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth, I’ve never worked with tofu, but I do know that marinating it will help to infuse it with flavor. Perhaps you could marinate it in the dressing, remove it to add to the salad, and then pour the dressing over the salad as the recipe suggests. Hope that helps!
Excellent lunch for 2. Delicious. I add a little more hot sauce. Also made it once with roast duck instead of chicken, also tastes great!
I have enjoyed many recipes on this site, including this one. Most recently I made this salad but substituted the dressing with the dressing from the Thai Crunch Salad, also on this site. My husband loved it and I will admit that I loved the peanut flavoring, too. I did double the sauce recipe and I used broccoli slaw in place of the cabbage. It was really tasty (and I hope no one minds that I’m mixing and matching!) I look forward to making more of the recipes here.
I’ve made this multiple times as it’s so good! Perfect for a warm summer night dinner or lunch anytime. Sometimes I’ll add or sub different veggies depending on what I have on hand. Add a baguette if you want a little heartier meal.
Oh my gosh. My good friend Liz served this for a small, casual dinner party (as a main course), and everyone loved it. The next day I ran to the store to get the exact ingredients listed, and made for myself. It is so delicious! There’s something very special and irresistible about this dressing, and it definitely turns a healthy, fresh salad into a delectable main course. So far, I have stuck to the recipe simply because I just love it as is.
I love Asian food, so when I spotted this recipe I knew I had to try it. The flavors combined and complimented each other wonderfully, and it was a perfect salad for a warm summer evening. I substituted cashews for the peanuts; other than that I made the recipe as written.
It was 90 degrees, I had a gluten free quest coming for dinner. I wanted something healthy, cool and delicious. This salad was exactly what I was looking for, just bursting with fresh flavor. I cheated a little by buying the cabbage and carrot coleslaw mix in the produce department. With the rotisserie chicken, it was so quick to put together and so impressive. Thank you Jenn!