Vietnamese Chicken Salad

This is the perfect entree salad in my opinion! Once you make it the first time, you will want it again and again! It is very crisp, clean and fresh tasting. Although there are a lot of ingredients, it is very simple and foolproof to prepare. I always buy a precooked whole chicken at the market to use for this salad. Makes it perfect for a summer get-together!

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4  chicken breast halves (can use any precooked chicken)
• 1  tablespoon  lee kum kee  chili-garlic sauce or 1  tablespoon  chili paste
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 3  tablespoons sugar
• 2  tablespoons  rice wine vinegar
• 6  tablespoons  freshly squeezed lime juice
• 4  tablespoons fish sauce
• 6  tablespoons  peanut oil
• 1  head savoy cabbage (shredded or chiffonade)
• 1⁄2 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• 1  small red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
• 1  small  fresh red hot chili peppers or 1  small  green hot chili pepper, diced
• 1⁄2 seedless cucumber, julienned
• 2  large carrots, julienned
• 1  red bell pepper, julienned
• 1⁄2 cup  roughly chopped roasted peanuts

Directions

1. Salt, pepper and roast chicken breasts at 400 until done.
2. Cool.
3. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together chili paste, garlic, sugar, vinegar, lime juice, fish sauce, and peanut oil until well combined.
4. Set aside.
5. Remove chicken meat from bones and slice each breast thinly on the bias.
6. In a medium bowl, toss together cabbage, mint, and cilantro.
7. Add 1/2 of the dressing and toss.
8. Place on a large platter or 4 individual platters.
9. Top cabbage mixture with onion, pepper, cucumber, carrots, bell pepper, and chicken.
10. Drizzle with the reserved dressing, garnish with peanuts and cilantro sprigs, and serve.