vietnamesesalad 5

Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Simple Ingredients Transformed!)


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Vietnamese Chicken Salad 🥗🥕🥒 is loaded with FRESH flavor, crunchy veggies, tender chicken, and a simple yet flavorful lime and chili dressing! Bright flavor galore in this healthy, quick, easy salad that eats like a main course and keeps you full and satisfied thanks to it being high protein and high fiber.

A bowl of shredded chicken salad with sliced cucumbers, carrots, red onions, peanuts, lime wedges, and fresh mint, with a bowl of dressing and serving utensils nearby.A bowl of shredded chicken salad with sliced cucumbers, carrots, red onions, peanuts, lime wedges, and fresh mint, with a bowl of dressing and serving utensils nearby.

Easy Vietnamese Chicken Salad Recipe

  • Vietnamese restaurant-inspired. I’ve been fortunate to sample my share of Vietnamese food in restaurants over the years, and I love how many dishes focus on big flavors but are light and fresh. By using fresh herbs, seasonings, and flavorful dressings, food is satisfying without being heavy.
  • Great for using leftover chicken. Or not. This is the time to put your leftover chicken to use whether it’s baked chicken, grilled chicken, or rotisserie chicken, it’s all good here. But if you don’t have leftover chicken on hand, make poached chicken in minutes that you can shred or cube and use.
  • Fast, easy, flexible. I eat a salad daily because it does a body good. But also because salads are fast, easy, and easy to customize based on what you have on hand. If you have extra veggies in your fridge to use up, toss them right into this salad. Think of this as a jumping off point, not set-in-stone.
  • Fresh, vibrant, satisfying. Crisp cabbage, carrots, cucumber, fresh herbs including cilantro, mint or basil, along with a lime and chili sauce dressing, and protein from chicken and peanuts, it’s savory, tangy, and just a little sweet. And eats like a meal to keep you satisfied and full thanks to being high protein and high fiber.
A large bowl of shredded chicken salad with sliced cucumbers, red onions, lime wedges, peanuts, and cilantro, being drizzled with dressing from a ladle.A large bowl of shredded chicken salad with sliced cucumbers, red onions, lime wedges, peanuts, and cilantro, being drizzled with dressing from a ladle.
A large bowl and a plate of shredded chicken salad with cucumbers, carrots, herbs, lime wedges, and peanuts, served with a side of orange dressing.A large bowl and a plate of shredded chicken salad with cucumbers, carrots, herbs, lime wedges, and peanuts, served with a side of orange dressing.
A serving of shredded chicken salad with carrots, cucumbers, red onions, herbs, and peanuts on a white plate, with a large bowl of salad in the background.A serving of shredded chicken salad with carrots, cucumbers, red onions, herbs, and peanuts on a white plate, with a large bowl of salad in the background.

Ingredients in Vietnamese Chicken Cabbage Salad

Vinaigrette: Oil, fresh lime juice, fish sauce, sweet chili garlic sauce, garlic, and sugar to taste.

Chicken: You’ll want to use about 2 cups cooked chicken – more if you’re trying to amp up the protein. I prefer boneless skinless chicken breasts but boneless chicken thighs are fine. You can use leftover baked chicken, grilled chicken, rotisserie chicken, or poach chicken quickly.

Veggies: Shredded green cabbage, English cucumber, carrots, red onion. You can always mix-and-match with red cabbage, sugar snap peas, snow peas, shelled edamame, other shredded greens such as kale or Romaine. Salads are flexible and a great way to incorporate vegetables that you may have on hand.

Herbs: Fresh mint leaves, fresh cilantro leaves, fresh basil, or any combo of herbs are welcome.

Garnishes: Roasted peanuts, fried onions are optional for crunch, and if you want some heat, try red chili flakes or chili crunch.

Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.

A close-up of a fork holding a bite of shredded chicken salad with peanuts, red onion, herbs, and vegetables. A plate of the same salad is in the background.A close-up of a fork holding a bite of shredded chicken salad with peanuts, red onion, herbs, and vegetables. A plate of the same salad is in the background.
A plate of shredded chicken salad with cucumbers, carrots, peanuts, herbs, lime wedges, and a bowl of dressing. Extra peanuts, lime, and chili peppers are scattered on the table.A plate of shredded chicken salad with cucumbers, carrots, peanuts, herbs, lime wedges, and a bowl of dressing. Extra peanuts, lime, and chili peppers are scattered on the table.

How to Make Vietnamese Chicken Salad

  1. Vinaigrette: Whisk together all the ingredients, taste, and adjust the flavor balance as desired.
  2. Assemble the Salad: Combine the chicken, veggies, and herbs in a large bowl.
  3. Dress and Toss: Drizzle the vinaigrette and toss well to combine.
  4. Garnish and Serve: Garnish as desired and serve as-is or with some of the serving suggestions I mention below.

Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for step-by-step photos and process shots of the cooking process.

Salad

  • 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed (use leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, or poach chicken breasts quickly)
  • 4 cups finely shredded green cabbage, (use a large bag of coleslaw mix to save time; ok to sub with some red cabbage along with the green)
  • 1 large English cucumber, diced small (regular cucumber may be substituted; peel or seed it as desired)
  • 1 large carrot, peeled; julienned or shredded (use pre-shredded carrots to save time, about 3/4 cup or as desired)
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (run under cold water and wring out in paper towels to remove some of the ‘bite’ if desired)
  • ½ cup fresh mint leaves, torn or roughly chopped (or about 1/4 cup finely minced mint)
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, torn (loosely packed; or about 1/4 cup finely minced cilantro)
  • ½ cup fresh basil leaves, optional (torn or roughly chopped (or about 1/4 cup finely minced basil)

Vinaigrette

  • 3 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed (about 1–2 limes)
  • 2-3 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil, grapeseed, canola, or similar
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce, or to taste
  • 1-3 teaspoons granulated sugar, or to taste (start with 1 tsp and work up as desired)
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder, (or 1 garlic clove, finely minced)
  • ½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
  • Salad: To a large bowl, add all the salad ingredients and toss to combine. Tip – You can easily add more/less of a certain ingredient based on what you have on hand and your preferences. Additional vegetables such as pea pods, sugar snap peas, bok choy, shelled and cooked edamame, radishes, etc. may be added.
  • Vinaigrette: To a medium bowl or mason jar with a lid, add all of the ingredients, whisk or seal and shake the jar, taste and check for flavor balance. Flavor Tips – Play with the ingredients and ratios until you get the flavor you like. If you want it more acidic without being more limey, a splash of rice vinegar is great. If it tastes at all flat or boring, it likely needs more salt. If you want additional sweetness, either add additional sugar and/or sweet chili sauce. More spiciness, add dried chili flakes, sambal olek, or a pinch of cayenne pepper.

  • Evenly drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to combine.

  • Garnishes: Evenly sprinkle with the peanuts, optional crispy fried onions, and optional chiles for heat, and serve.

Storage: As salads go, even after this one is dressed it still retains a decent amount of crispiness and crunch thanks to the cabbage. Therefore, leftover salad will keep airtight in the fridge for 2-3 days, noting that it will get softer as time passes. But it still makes for a fine meal prep option for work lunches. The salt in the vinaigrette will cause the veggies to release water so it may be ‘soupier’ as time passes.

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 401cal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 79mg, Sodium: 1547mg, Potassium: 894mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 4336IU, Vitamin C: 49mg, Calcium: 133mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

©averiecooks.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

what to serve with vietnamese chicken salad

Overhead and close-up views of a bowl and plate of Vietnamese chicken salad with shredded chicken, cucumber, carrots, herbs, and lime wedges. Text overlay reads, "Healthy Vietnamese Chicken Salad.Overhead and close-up views of a bowl and plate of Vietnamese chicken salad with shredded chicken, cucumber, carrots, herbs, and lime wedges. Text overlay reads, "Healthy Vietnamese Chicken Salad.
Overhead view of a Vietnamese chicken salad with shredded chicken, vegetables, herbs, peanuts, and lime, served in a bowl and on a plate, with dressing on the side.Overhead view of a Vietnamese chicken salad with shredded chicken, vegetables, herbs, peanuts, and lime, served in a bowl and on a plate, with dressing on the side.
Two plates of Vietnamese chicken salad with shredded chicken, cucumbers, carrots, herbs, peanuts, and lime wedges, shown overhead and close-up.Two plates of Vietnamese chicken salad with shredded chicken, cucumbers, carrots, herbs, peanuts, and lime wedges, shown overhead and close-up.
Overhead view of Vietnamese chicken salad with shredded chicken, cabbage, carrots, lime wedges, and herbs, shown in a mixing bowl and a serving bowl.Overhead view of Vietnamese chicken salad with shredded chicken, cabbage, carrots, lime wedges, and herbs, shown in a mixing bowl and a serving bowl.
A bowl of Vietnamese chicken salad with shredded chicken, cucumber, lime wedges, herbs, and a dressing being poured over the top.A bowl of Vietnamese chicken salad with shredded chicken, cucumber, lime wedges, herbs, and a dressing being poured over the top.
Shredded chicken salad with cabbage, carrots, red onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and dressing, served in a white bowl.Shredded chicken salad with cabbage, carrots, red onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and dressing, served in a white bowl.

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