Vietnamese Chicken Salad Bowl
Why this recipe works
- Fast poached chicken: Chicken breast cooks quickly in a gentle simmer, then shreds easily for tossing through the salad.
- Sharp, savoury dressing: Lime juice, fish sauce and sugar create the sweet-sour-salty balance that makes the vegetables and chicken taste lively rather than plain.
- Crisp and crunchy: Finely cut raw vegetables stay fresh and snappy, while peanuts add a final roasted crunch just before serving.
Get the most out of this recipe
Adjust the heat
- For a gentler salad: Reduce the cayenne or leave it out entirely; the lime and fish sauce will still give the dressing plenty of character.
- For more heat: Increase the cayenne gradually, tasting the dressing before tossing it through the salad.
Texture tips
- Keep the vegetables crisp: Cut the cabbage, carrot and cucumber finely so they mix evenly, but add the dressing close to serving if you want the freshest texture.
- Add peanuts last: Scatter the roasted peanuts over the bowls just before eating so they stay crunchy.
Make-ahead tips
- Best make-ahead method: Prepare the chicken, vegetables and dressing ahead, but keep the peanuts separate until serving.
- Storage: The dressed salad can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days; refresh with a squeeze of lime if needed before serving.
Ingredient swaps
- Use chicken thighs: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can replace breast for a juicier shredded chicken.
- Change the nuts: Roasted cashews work well in place of peanuts, giving a similar crunch with a slightly richer flavour.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Put the chicken in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10–12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. Drain, then leave to cool for 2 minutes before shredding.
- Finely shred the cabbage, grate the carrot, and cut the cucumber into thin matchsticks. Thinly slice the spring onion. Roughly chop the mint and coriander, and crush the peanuts.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the lime juice with the fish sauce, caster sugar and cayenne pepper until the sugar dissolves. Add the shredded chicken, cabbage, carrot, cucumber, spring onion, mint and coriander, then toss well. Divide between bowls and scatter over the peanuts to serve.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For the best texture, keep the vegetables very finely cut so they stay crisp and mix evenly with the chicken.
- If serving later, keep the peanuts separate and add them just before eating so they stay crunchy.
Substitutions
- Replace Chicken breast with Chicken thighs boneless skinless for a juicier result; simmer until cooked through, then shred.
- Replace Roasted peanuts with Roasted cashew nuts for a similar crunch and richness.
- Replace Cayenne pepper with Korean chili flakes gochugaru for a gentler, fruitier heat.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 2 days
- Store the dressed salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. For the best crunch, store the roasted peanuts separately and add at the last minute; if needed, refresh with a squeeze of lime before serving.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 2 servings
- Total time: 15min (15min active)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
-
Allergens:
Fish Peanuts
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