This Vietnamese Chicken and Cabbage Salad is incredibly addictive, and the crispy shallot and garlic-infused vinaigrette would be good on almost anything. I think of it as a one-dish meal – supper, not dinner. We’ve never served this to guests, but we should. It deserves better!

I must give credit to Russ Crandall from the Domestic Man site for his recipe for Vietnamese Chicken and Cabbage Salad from 2016, which inspired this recipe. His version is much more authentic (but mine is still quite tasty!). When I hit his site so that I could compare how my recipe has evolved into from his original, I was saddened to learn that on April 6, 2023 he had posted on his home page “I think we’re done here.” I’m happy for him because he’s moving on to other passions, but it’s a sad day for me and his 77,000 other followers. His recipes were always fresh and gluten-free. He had been blogging since 2010, but he still stood out in the crowd of food bloggers. He indicated that he’ll leave his site up so that those of us who loved his recipes can still access them. Thank you, Russ!

Print Recipe

Vietnamese Chicken and Cabbage Salad

Author: melinmac

Ingredients

• 1 small head of green cabbage (or 1/2 large head, approximately 1 pound)
• 1 pound shredded chicken breast (or roasted chicken parts)
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 3 radicchio leaves (optional)
• A handful each of cilantro and fresh mint
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 large shallot
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 1 T lime juice
• 2 T fish sauce
• ½ t salt
• ¼ t black pepper
• 1 t sugar
• 1 T apple cider vinegar
• 1 jalapeno

Instructions

• Prep the vegetables – Shred the cabbage, slice the bell pepper in to 1-2 inch strips, tear radicchio into bite-sized pieces (if using). Slice the shallots and garlic, and set aside. Slice the jalapeno and shake out most of the seeds.
• Assemble the salad – Combine the cabbage, shredded chicken (if using in lieu of parts), bell pepper, radicchio (if using), and herbs in a large bowl.
• Crisp the shallots and garlic – Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and sauté until translucent, then add the garlic. Fry until golden, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Pour the oil into a measuring cup through a strainer, catching the shallots and garlic to drain.
  
• Finish the dressing – After the oil has cooled slightly, add 1 T lime juice, 2 T fish sauce, ½ t salt, ¼ t pepper, 1 t sugar, jalapeno, and 1 T apple cider vinegar.
  
• Toss and Serve – Pour the dressing over the salad, tossing to coat. Serve topped with the fried shallots and garlic.

Notes

I prefer this salad with shredded chicken breast tossed into the mix, but Ron loves chicken parts, especially dark meat.  So I just roast chicken thighs and legs in advance in the air fryer for him.