Crunchy Vietnamese Chicken Salad

 

I put this salad (called Goi Ga in Vietnam) together in less than 5 minutes. You will be able to do the same if you follow my lead. I accomplished this feat by buying the ingredients rather than cooking. While I normally love cooking, I came down with a nasty cold and wanted to eliminate any unnecessary labor. 

So I bought a rotisserie chicken to avoid cooking. The recipe also calls for fried shallots...so I just bought a can of them from Amazon rather than cooking delicate little shallots in oil. But if you are feeling lazy, go ahead and substitute fried onion rings.

I suppose I could have bought a head of cabbage to cut up. But again, I went the lazy route. I just bought a bag of shredded cabbage normally used to make cole slaw. Ditto for the carrots...I simply bought a bag of matchstick carrots.

So the mantra for this meal is simple: "No prep. Just eat." 

INGREDIENTS

For the Dressing

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of fish sauce

1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1-1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the Salad

4 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced

2 carrots, shredded

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

1/4 cup coarsely chopped mint

3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 tablespoon red chili flakes

For the Toppings

3 tablespoons fried shallots

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped, unsalted roasted peanuts

Limę wedges, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well until sugar dissolves and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients. Add the dressing and toss to mix thoroughly.
3. Place the salad on serving plates and top with the fried shallots and peanuts. Put lime wedges on each plate. Chow down!

Wine pairing: Sauvignon Blanc