Vietnamese Chicken Salad

Are you looking for a lunch or casual dinner that's fresh, fun and fabulous?.......

Don't look any further, The Cafe's got you covered with this delicious Vietnamese Chicken Salad. It's loaded with fresh veggies, sweet mango, lean chicken and a dressing that you'll find yourself craving for long after the last drop has disappeared. Try it today - you'll love it, for sure ............... oh, and if you have an extra place at your table, I wouldn't mind joining you! It's definitely one of my favorite salads! :)

P.S. When I know I'm going to be spending time here at home, I love to roast a bunch of these Chicken Breasts w/ Lemon, Garlic & Rosemary. I freeze them on a sheet pan, then store individually in ziplock bags. I can pull out one or two at a time, perfect for soups, sandwiches or salads like this one.

Vietnamese Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
3 cups roasted chicken breast, shredded (see note above, also store-purchased rotisserie chickens work great!)
4 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally
½ cup slivered yellow or red bell pepper
8 baby carrots, halved and slivered diagonally
½ small head cabbage, thin sliced
½ medium sweet onion, half the onion vertically then slice in thin wedges
1 medium mango, peeled, seeded and slivered
1 medium avocado, halved, pitted, sliced in slivers
½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
¼ cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
¼ cup lime juice
2 tablesoons fish sauce*
2 tablesoons sugar
1 teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce*
¼ cup canola oil
fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
fresh basil leaves, for garnish
fresh mint leaves, for garnish
½ cup salted peanuts, roughly chopped

Directions:
1. Combine lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and Sriracha in a glass jar with a tight-fititng lid. Shake well till sugar is dissolved. Add oil and shake again.

2. Combine roasted chicken, onions, peppers, carrots and herbs in a large bowl. Toss well, then add avocado and mango, drizzle with dressing and gently toss again. Arrange on four plates and garnish with fresh herb leaves and peanuts. Pass extra dressing at the table. Bon Appétit!

Notes:
* ~Both Sriracha and fish sauce are available in the Asian section at most larger supermarkets. They are are also readily available at any Asian market. Sriracha is quite hot and spicy on it's own, but just a bit adds a delicious mysterious zip to sauces, soups, salad dressings, etc. - not hot at all - it's a wonderful condiment to have in your culinary arsenal!

Serves 4

PRINTABLE RECIPE