Vietnamese chicken salad with crunchy peanuts

Name: Vietnamese chicken salad with crunchy peanuts
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Vietnamese recipes
Ingredients: 500g free-range skinless boneless chicken thighs; 20g fresh Thai basil, leaves picked and stalks reserved; 20g fresh coriander, leaves picked and stalks reserved; 20g fresh mint, leaves picked and stalks reserved; 2 fat garlic cloves; Vegetable oil for frying; 2 banana shallots, halved and finely sliced; 1-2 red chillies (depending on how hot you like it), finely chopped; 3 tbsp fish sauce; 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar; 1 tbsp caster sugar; Grated zest and juice 1 lime, plus extra lime wedges to serve; 1 firm papaya, finely sliced into strips; 2 carrots, julienned or cut into long, fine strips; ½ chinese leaf (napa cabbage), finely shredded; ½ cucumber, seeds removed and sliced into half moons; 100g shelled peanuts, toasted in a dry pan then finely chopped

Published: 15 Jul 19
Updated: 14 Nov 24

Test kitchen approved

This recipe might use a lot of ingredients but it’s the layering of textures and flavours that makes it so brilliant. Shredded chicken, papaya and crunchy vegetables are coated in a sweet and sour dressing, then smattered with toasted peanuts – salads will never look boring again.

Try more of our Vietnamese recipes including summer rolls, Banh Mi and a beef and mango salad.

Serves 4
Hands-on time 20 min, simmering time 15 min, plus cooling

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Ingredients

500g free-range skinless boneless chicken thighs
20g fresh Thai basil, leaves picked and stalks reserved
20g fresh coriander, leaves picked and stalks reserved
20g fresh mint, leaves picked and stalks reserved
2 fat garlic cloves
Vegetable oil for frying
2 banana shallots, halved and finely sliced
1-2 red chillies (depending on how hot you like it), finely chopped
3 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp caster sugar
Grated zest and juice 1 lime, plus extra lime wedges to serve
1 firm papaya, finely sliced into strips
2 carrots, julienned or cut into long, fine strips
½ chinese leaf (napa cabbage), finely shredded
½ cucumber, seeds removed and sliced into half moons
100g shelled peanuts, toasted in a dry pan then finely chopped

Method

Put the chicken in a pan with the herb stalks and 1 garlic clove, bashed with the side of a knife. Cover with cold water, bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 15 minutes or until cooked through and tender. Set aside to cool, then shred/slice the chicken into a serving bowl (see tip).
Meanwhile, heat 1cm oil in a medium frying pan and fry the shallots, stirring from time to time, until browned and crisp. Set aside on a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain and cool.
Next, make the dressing. Finely chop the remaining garlic clove and put in a small bowl with 1-2 of the chopped chillies, fish sauce, vinegar, sugar and the zest and juice of 1 lime. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
Just before serving, pour the dressing over the chicken and toss together. Add all the herb leaves, sliced fruit and vegetables, and most of the peanuts, then toss to combine. Serve the salad topped with crispy shallots and the remaining peanuts, with lime wedges for squeezing

Recipe from June 2019 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 435kcals
Fat: 21.3g (3.6g saturated)
Protein: 37.8g
Carbohydrates: 19.7g (17g sugars)
Fibre: 6.5g
Salt: 3.2g

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