Vietnamese-Style Chicken Salad with Fresh Herbs and Chiles

I spent a couple of amazing weeks in Vietnam a few years ago, traveling from Hanoi in the north to Ho Chi Minh in the south. During the journey, I was struck at how overwhelmingly fresh and flavorful the food was. I live in St. Louis, where there are many excellent Vietnamese restaurants, but nothing I had eaten in the States compared to the almost electric flavors of the herbs, sauces and spices — really, everything! — enjoyed in Vietnam. This salad is an ode to the flavors of that beautiful country — warm, cool, crisp, spicy, salty and a bit sweet. Complex yet utterly approachable. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Recipe by Catherine Neville

  • 3 limes

  • 1 2-inch knob ginger, peeled and chopped

  • 1 large red onion, julienned

  • handful bird’s eye chiles, chopped                                                                                   

  • 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  • 1 English cucumber, cut into ribbons with a veggie peeler

  • 2 carrots, cut into matchsticks

  • 1 cup shredded Napa cabbage

  • ⅓ cup fish sauce

  • ¼ cup brown sugar

  • 1 handful chopped cilantro

  • ½ handful chopped mint

  • ½ handful chopped Thai basil

  • ⅔ cup chopped salted, roasted peanuts

| Preparation | Fill medium saucepot ½-way full with water, squeeze juice of a lime into the water, season with salt and stir in 1 tablespoon ginger, small handful onion slivers and a teaspoon or so chopped chiles. Place chicken breasts in the water and slowly bring to a simmer. Keep the water at a constant low simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken to a cutting board to cool.

In a large bowl, mix the remaining onion slivers, cucumber, carrot and cabbage.

Make the dressing by mixing, in a separate small bowl, the juice of 2 limes, the remaining ginger, chiles (to taste), fish sauce and brown sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Taste and adjust seasoning. It should be tart, spicy, salty and slightly sweet, all in balance.

Toss the veggies with half of the cilantro, mint and basil and then drizzle with dressing, being careful not to over dress. Arrange the veg on a platter. Shred the cooled chicken and toss with more of the dressing. Arrange the chicken on top of the veg and then sprinkle with remaining cilantro, mint and basil as well as the peanuts. Serve any remaining dressing on the side along with additional lime wedges and chopped chiles. You can also serve this with a side of rice noodles dressed with sesame oil and scallions to make a full meal.

Catherine Neville