Vietnamese Shredded Chicken Salad
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Made with a rotisserie chicken, this salad is easy to whip up and full of bright, spicy Southeast Asian flavor.
As much as I love salad as a meal, it’s not usually enough for my husband, who is more of a protein and two sides kind of a guy. But this is one salad that I can get away with serving for dinner—it’s satisfying and full of bright, spicy Southeast Asian flavor. It’s easy, too! You simply shred a rotisserie chicken, chop some veggies, whisk the dressing, and voila—dinner is served! The recipe makes enough for 2 to 3 main course salads; if you want to stretch it, serve some store-bought crispy spring rolls on the side.
“Delicious and the perfect light meal for a warm summer night!”
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Vietnamese Shredded Chicken Salad
Made with a rotisserie chicken, this salad is easy to whip up and full of bright, spicy Southeast Asian flavor.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 2 heaping cups cooked shredded chicken, from one store-bought rotisserie chicken
- 4 cups shredded napa cabbage
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup grated or matchstick carrots
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup roughly chopped fresh mint
- ½ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ cup chopped peanuts
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice, from about 3 limes
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce (preferably a brand imported from Thailand or Vietnam)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a large salad bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients except for the peanuts. In a separate bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the dressing; whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Right before serving, toss the dressing with the salad. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the peanuts. Serve cold.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 417
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated fat: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Sugar: 12g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 20g
- Sodium: 1169mg
- Cholesterol: 50mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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We’ve made this a couple times now and it’s delicious. It’s such a fresh tasting salad – with the crunch of the vegetables, the heavy amount of lime, and the peanut topping. It’s perfect for a summer lunch. The only thing we’ve tweaked is taking out the mint and easing up a bit on the fish sauce. I would imagine a better fish sauce might change the experience but I’ve had a tough time finding the good imported stuff. All in all, this is one we’ll keep in the arsenal when summer rolls around again. Very good.
I doubled the recipe and made this for my work colleagues today and it was a big hit. I usually find the lime is too much for me in Vietnamese sauces, so I put in 1/8 cup of plain white vinegar and then splashed in the lime juice until I was happy with the taste. I will definitely make again. Great for sharing with a crowd as it makes a lot.
Outstanding! As my husband was eating this salad he couldn’t get over the taste and kept commenting on it. He voluntarily said, “Out of 10, this salad is a 10!”. Thanks for another great recipe!
This was absolutely wonderful and just as authentic tasting as our local Vietnamese restaurant. I loved how fresh and bright tasting it was and the leftovers were still delicious the next day. My husband wants some hot peppers next time but I thought it was perfect without.
My family is addicted to this salad. It’s a great summer salad that can be a full meal.
Love this recipe. Have prepared it several times for friends and they love it as well. Yummy, so refreshing and light.
I love this salad but instead of peanuts I use unsalted sunflower seeds. Yummy!
This salad was absolutely amazing, but I shouldn’t be surprised – every dish I’ve tried from onceuponachef.com has been terrific. In fact, I’m so confident of Jenn’s recipes, that I have tried something new when I’ve had guests over for dinner and was not disappointed. Thanks for making me look good Jenn!!!!
This salad is so yummy. My roommate is Vietnamese and she said this is similar to a salad her mother makes. Very authentic! I’ve tried several other recipes on this site: coconut macaroons, roasted brussel sprouts, chocolate chip blondies and they all have been fantastic! Thanks, Jen!
Chicken and salad perfection!! Didn’t have a rotisserie chicken, instead marinated boneless skinless chicken breasts overnight in 1/2 cup nuoc mam cham (recipe: http://www.food.com/recipe/nuoc-mam-cham-dipping-fish-sauce-103760) “enriched” with a few tablespoons of teriyaki glaze, then grilled. Split the breasts in half lengthwise and followed your instruction to pound each piece to 1/2″ thickness. Thank you for a most excellent recipe!
I made this last week and my son and husband LOVED it. We have a nut allergy so I used sunflower seeds instead of the nuts and it was fine. I also used Oyster sauce instead of the fish sauce because that’s all I had and it was fine too. Great recipe!!! This is going into my easy dinner list! Thank you 🙂
Delicious salad and it scales well to feed a crowd. My husband’s extended family visited one summer and this was the main course for one of the meals I served. It was summer, it was hot, and this salad was just what we wanted. I recommend dressing just the amount you think you will eat as it will get soggy with time. Undressed it keeps well for a couple of days.
This was so yummy and refreshing! I used red cabbage instead of napa and really liked it. Every recipe from this site is 5 stars, in my opinion. 🙂
Loved this – just the right amount dressing. Tastes so good. It’s a keeper! Thanks Jen.
This is an amazing recipe–honestly, every one of yours has been a huge hit in our home–thank you so much! Like some other readers, I have trouble finding Napa cabbage in my local store, but I’ve actually found that romaine lettuce, thinly sliced nearer the heart than the end, is a really good substitute and adds the crunch that you need.
Its not often that everyone likes a meal, but it seems consistent with your recipes that everyone one eats their dinner. Same with this salad. Its a great way to use up baked chicken left overs and a meal so full of fresh healthiness that we feel satisfied but also not overly stuffed.
This is an amazing salad, everyone from my girlfriends to my sons loved it. It keeps well and is a filling and hearty meal. The dressing is worth the extra effort.
I make this salad all the time. I throw some of those dried La Choy Chow Mein noodles on top for some added crunch.
One of the nicest Vietnamese salads I’ve made, very fresh, beautiful flavours. Yum!
This is our favorite recipe on this site. The rotisserie chicken provides a lot of extra flavor but I’ve also used cubed, cooked chicken breast. My kids also love this recipe, which is saying a lot for cabbage! Thank you!!
What are good substitutes for the nappa cabbage??? I’m finding it difficult to find here in New Zealand. Thanks!!
Hi Nicole, Are you able to find Chinese cabbage or Savoy cabbage? Those would work well 🙂
I used red cabbage, because that’s what was in my fridge, with delicious results.
Do you use salted or unsalted peanuts?
Thanks 🙂
Salted 🙂
I really don’t like the taste of cilantro; will substituting parsley dramatically change the recipe?
Hi Karen, I would just omit the cilantro or you could try mint or basil (or a combo) as well.
I’ve made this salad nearly a dozen times since I first saw it in the newsletter, and for many guests. A lot of people are afraid of the fish sauce, but it really does make the dressing. If your nervous about it, trust the measurements. 3 Tbsp seems like a lot, but it is delicious on the salad!
Dressing is to die for! The flavors are really good and complex too. The dressing is good with fresh spring rolls too.
This is one delicious salad for hot summer days!! I make it at least once a week. You can always add extra veggies like sugar snap peas or shredded kale…..endless possibilities?
This was awesome!
This was easy and yummy, My husband and I both loved it! Used regular green cabbage because that was what we had on hand. More like 4-5 servings than 2-3.
Authentic and delicious! Thanks for the great and simple recipe. I feel like I’m in a Vietnamese restaurant when I’m eating it. 2nd time around I added diced thai chili peppers because I love heat, and some leftover avocado I had in the fridg – made it even better.
Another winner! Delicious!
How far in advance can I make the dressing?
Hi Gretchen, A few days is fine. Enjoy!
Jenn, any chance that shrimp would work instead of chicken?
Definitely!
I did like this salad but the sodium content is too high. I never noticed until now just how much sodium Fish Sauce has. So, next time I will substitute with Hoisin and a little peanut butter. I think it will still be very refreshing. Thank you Jen!
FYI, There is a lot of sodium in hoisin sauce too.
Over 1000mg per 2 TBSP
I’ve made this 3x in the last week- it is delicious & refreshing, perfect for warm weather. I use regular shredded cabbage from Trader Joe’s to make prep even easier, and I keep the salad and dressing separate in the fridge so that I can have it with different proteins over a couple of days. Thanks for the deliciousness!
I was thrilled when our CSA box contained a head of Napa cabbage last week because I knew exactly what recipe I wanted to make. This salad made an excellent week night supper -it was refreshing and light on a hot and humid spring night. The only substitution we made was to use sliced almonds instead of peanuts due to a peanut allergy in the family. Thank you for another winner, Jenn!
We made this dish a few days ago and it was outstanding. However, I re-tweeked the recipe and added a tbs of rice vinegar. We like tangy. Had it for dinner, really nice.
Where does all the sodium come from? I’d guess it is the fish sauce and maybe the chicken if was heavily seasoned. That’s almost an entire day’s worth of sodium for my hypertensive hubby, so I’d have to cut it dramatically. If it is the fish sauce, well, I won’t use it anyway as we don’t like it, and I can certainly cook the chicken with a salt substitute I use. For peanuts, I desalinate them as much as I can by pouring them on a terry towel and rubbing them well. I can’t buy them salt free here. No Whole Foods, no Trader Joes, and Penzeys just closed their Orlando area store where I would drive 70 miles to twice a year. I need to move! At least I can get great Mexican ingredients here, or I would feel so deprived, southwesterner that I am. With some obvious changes, I know we’d love this salad, and especially that limey dressing. (I am addicted to your corn/bean salad with chipotle lime dressing! It is to die for!)
Hi Barbara, Yes, it comes mostly from the fish sauce — it is pretty high in sodium. Unfortunately, I don’t know of any great substitute for this salad as fish sauce has a very distinct flavor. Good luck and please let me know if you have any success adapting the recipe 🙂
When adding mint to these salad recipes, is it peppermint or spearmint?
Hi Linda, I have peppermint growing wild in my garden so that’s what I use, but they are interchangeable.
I knew I had to make this straight away, as I had baked chicken in the refrigerator already. I followed the recipe except for using my own cooked chicken, and packaged cole slaw mix. This was fresh, delicious, quick and a perfect light meal. Will be a great summer dish too!
Loved loved loved this salad. Had it as a main course. No leftovers.
Made this for dinner tonight. It was fab. Added cherry tomatoes. Otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Awesome!!
We had the Vietnamese Shredded Chicken Salad over the weekend. It is fabulous. Great flavors. Thanks, Jenn.
I made this today for lunch and it was delicious! As always, all your recipes are a big hit in our home! Thank you so much for sharing your talent with the rest of us Jenn!
So glad you enjoyed the salad, Sophia 🙂
Can someone please tell me what Sriracha is and where to get it?
Thank you.
Hi Kathy, Sriracha is a Southeast Asian hot sauce — you can get it at most supermarkets.
Rather than a rotisserie chicken I baked the chicken per https://www.onceuponachef.com/2012/06/chinese-chicken-salad-with-sesame-ginger-dressing.html. The salad ingredients were very nice. The salad dressing was just ok. I’m not sure I loved the fish sauce. I think I would have preferred the peanut dressing of https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/thai-crunch-salad-with-peanut-dressing.html which I will try next time.
I made this salad for dinner tonight. It was DELISH!!! All the right flavors — the mint, the cilantro and the green onions combine with the dressing to make one tasty salad.
Hi Jen,
How long will it last in the fridge for? Thinking of making it for lunches for Monday and Tuesday.
Thanks!
Hi Sam, Once you toss it with the dressing, it needs to be be served right away. If you keep the dressing separate, it will keep a day or two in the fridge. Hope you enjoy it!
I love using fresh herbs in a salad! Can’t wait to make this for dinner. The dressing sounds like it would make a great marinade too.
Another great recipe. Thanks Jenn! Made this one tonight. Very refreshing and tasty 🙂
I am allergic to fish. What would be a good substitute for the fish sauce?
Unfortunately, there’s no good substitute for the fish sauce, but you can use the dressing from my Thai Crunch Salad instead. https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/thai-crunch-salad-with-peanut-dressing.html
Made the New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp last night…oh my….yum! Husband loved it! Served with Cheddar Jalapeno Grits with on a bed of sautéed spinach, and of course a French baguette to sop up the juices. Every recipe I have tried from this sight has been phenomenal…thanks Jen:)
I’m loving the looks of this salad but would like to lower the sodium. Any ideas?
Hi Lois, You can cut back on the fish sauce or reduce the overall amount of dressing.