I first discovered this wonderful summer salad recipe for a Vietnamese Chicken and Cabbage Salad on thedomesticman.com website earlier this year. The Domestic Man website features a number of gluten-free and paleo-friendly recipes from around the globe.
Image is from Domestic Man website
Now, I have prepared a similar salad recipe for many years, but felt that the Domestic Man added a few bells-and-whistles to my own recipe. As such, the recipe below features a few of my recommended changes – both in terms of the ingredients and preparation. The main difference is that I used poached chicken breasts rather than grilled chicken since I find the “oriental tastes” seem a bit more vibrant if they do not have to compete against the taste of grilled chicken.
Preparing poached chicken breasts: Poach 1 lb of chicken breaks with about 2 cups of water. To the poaching mixture, add 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of peppercorns, 3 cloves of garlic (smashed), 1 tablespoon coconut amino acids, 1 tablespoon lime juice and a few basil leaves. Cook for 15-20 minutes then leave in water for about 25 minutes before shredding.
In any event, please find below my variation of Vietnamese Chicken and Cabbage Salad. This is a great recipe for Mediterranean diet and Paleo enthusiasts alike:
Vietnamese Chicken and Cabbage Summer Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 head green cabbage shredded (approximately 1 lb)
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (approximately 1 lb) - We prefer poached.
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 large shallot thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 carrots julienned
- 1 red pepper my addition
- 4 scallions sliced my addition
- 2 garlic cloves minced (my addition)
- 3 tablespoon of dry roasted cashews chopped my addition
- 1 spicy red chile pepper bird’s eye, fresno, seeds removed and thinly sliced
- 1 small handful basil leaves coarsely chopped
- 1 small handful mint leaves coarsely chopped
- Garnish with 6-8 basil leaves and 10 fresh mint leaves my addition
Instructions
- Shred the cabbage and place it in a large bowl. Fill the bowl with cold water and add a bit of salt; stir to combine, then set aside to soak for 20 minutes.
- Combine the 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1/2 tablespoon to make the dressing; taste and add salt if needed. Shred the chicken along the grain, using two forks, and set aside. Drain the cabbage and pat dry with paper towels.
- Now comes the fun part – in a large bowl, combine the cabbage, chicken, carrots, pepper, scallions, cashews chili pepper, basil, mint, and the salad dressing; toss to combine, add salt to taste.
Chef's Notes
Looking for other great chicken recipes?
How to Make Authentic Chicken Mole
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