Chicken and Cabbage Salad
Goi ga bap cai, the light and punchy Vietnamese shredded chicken salad tossed with crunchy cabbage, carrot, and fresh herbs in a bright fish sauce and lime dressing, topped with fried shallots and crushed peanuts.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs cooked chicken breast or thighs (rotisserie works great), shredded
- 4 cups green cabbage, thinly shredded
- 2 carrots, julienned
- 3 tbsp fish sauce (gluten-free)
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 chili red fresno or Thai chili, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup fried shallots (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/4 cup roasted salted peanuts, roughly crushed
Instructions
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1
In a large bowl, combine 4 cups thinly shredded green cabbage and 2 julienned carrots. Use your hands to squeeze and massage the vegetables for 1 minute to soften slightly.
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2
In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp fish sauce (gluten-free), 3 tbsp fresh lime juice, 2 tsp granulated sugar, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1 chili thinly sliced red fresno or Thai chili until the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust the balance of sour, salty, and sweet.
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3
Add 1.5 lbs shredded cooked chicken breast or thighs (rotisserie works great), 1/2 cup roughly torn fresh mint leaves, and 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro to the cabbage bowl. Pour the dressing over everything and toss well to coat.
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4
Transfer to a serving platter or divide into bowls. Top with 1/4 cup fried shallots (store-bought or homemade) and 1/4 cup roughly crushed roasted salted peanuts. Serve immediately for maximum crunch.