""Vietnamese" Chicken Salad- citrusy chicken tossed with rice noodles, fresh veggies and herbs, and a bright sweet sour salty dressing (thanks, lime, brown sugar, and fish sauce!!) Super delicious, serves a small army, and all the hard to find Asian ingredients are swapped out with easier to find subs. Not quite authentic, but still absolutely delicious. That's a win in my book."
Rice Noodle And Chicken Salad With Spring Vegetables
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Prep time 15mins
Cook time 25mins
Serves or Makes: 8
Recipe Card
For the Chicken
ingredients
- 4 large (about 2 pounds) boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons zest of lemon
- 5 tablespoons juice of lemon
- 1 lime, zested
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
For the Dressing
ingredients
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed juice of lime
- 1 small red chile, deseeded and minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
For the Salad
ingredients
- 12 ounces green beans, stems removed
- 4 ounces dried rice noodles
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered, depending on size (halve the small ones, quarter the large ones)
- 1 cup julienned daikon radish
- 1 cup julienned English cucumber
- 3 cups thinly sliced savoy or napa cabbage
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1 cup thinly sliced celery
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 bunch green onion, dark green parts chopped, white parts discarded
- 1 cup roasted and salted peanuts
Method
Step 1
To make the chicken: Place the chicken in a large ziplock bag or baking dish. Add the marinade ingredients to the bag or dish and toss to mix and coat the chicken well. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Step 2
To make the dressing: whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside for now.
Step 3
When the chicken is done marinating, put a large heavy skillet on the stove and add a few tablespoons of olive oil. Heat over medium-high flame, take the chicken breasts out of the marinade (it’s okay if there is still marinade stuck to them) and add them to the pan. Cook about 6-8 minutes on each side, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165˚F. Let rest in pan until cooled.
Step 4
While the chicken is resting, cook the rice noodles. Place them in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let rest for about 5 minutes or until tender. Drain well, then place on a cutting board and roughly chop into about 2 inch pieces. Place in a large serving bowl and set aside.
Step 5
Add some water to the bottom of a small saucepan and add a steamer insert. Add the green beans, cover the pot with a lid, heat over medium flame, and steam for a few minutes until bright green and crisp-tender. When done, remove from the pot and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Move to a cutting board and chop into thirds. Add to the large bowl with the rice noodles.
Step 6
Remove the cooled chicken from the pan and use your hands to shred into bit sized strips. Add to the bowl with the noodles and green beans. Add any delicious pan juices to the pan as well.
Step 7
Add the rest of the veggies and herbs and peanuts. Toss to combine. Whisk the dressing again to combine, then pour over the salad. Toss well until everything is coated with dressing and serve!