Vietnamese Chicken Salad With Rice Noodles

This Vietnamese Chicken Salad starts with the tangy, salty, lime-and-garlic-y dressing, which totally shines with the cooling mint + cilantro and a handful of fiery-crisp serrano peppers, which all results in me wrapping my fork with a combination of spicy-cool, salty-tangy veggies, chicken, and noodles !!

This Vietnamese Chicken Salad with Rice Noodles <— important! is so, so, so, sooo yummy. Like to the point that I can’t even think of anything else to say besides “it’s so, so, sooo yummy.”

The shredded carrots, cabbage, chicken, and noodles make the base of the salad, and the mint, cilantro, and green onions just make my flavor-loving heart soar: it’s like I’m taking a cooling spa bath with every bite.

And then, the dressing. I’m just going to tell you right now: its primary saltiness comes from the fish sauce.

Vietnamese Chicken Salad with Rice Noodles Recipe
Vietnamese Chicken Salad with Rice Noodles made with chicken, cabbage, carrots, homemade dressing, lime juice, mint, and cilantro.



INGREDIENTS

For the dressing

• 3 serrano peppers
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons fish sauce
• 6 tablespoons lime juice
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the salad

• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 6 ounces rice noodles
• 4 large carrots, peeled
• 8-10 full leaves of green cabbage
• one large handful of each — cilantro leaves, mint leaves, and green onions

INSTRUCTIONS

DRESSING: 

• Thinly slice the serranos and set aside. Pulse all the remaining dressing ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Stir in the sliced serranos.

CHICKEN: 

• Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. When the water reaches a rolling boil, add the chicken breasts, turn heat off, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Let the chicken cook for 25-30 minutes – while it’s cooking, you can prep the other ingredients. Remove from water, let cool slightly, and shred with two forks. Pour a small amount of the prepared dressing on the chicken to give it flavor and set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.

NOODLES: 

• Soak the rice noodles in a large bowl of cold water for 15 minutes or until softened. Heat a small amount of the dressing in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the drained noodles and stir-fry for 5 minutes (I found it helpful to grab the handle and give the pan a good shake every 30 seconds or so). Cut through the noodles with a kitchen scissors if you want them to be shorter and easier to eat.

VEGETABLES: 

• Cut the carrots into pieces and pulse in a food processor for 10-15 seconds until finely chopped. Shred the cabbage. Mince the cilantro, mint, and green onions.

ASSEMBLY: 

• Toss the chicken, noodles, vegetables, and remaining dressing (to taste) together. Serve immediately.

Recipe Adapted : Vietnamese Chicken Salad With Rice Noodles @ pinchofyum

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