A salad full of flavor is a salad everyone is sure to love! Vietnamese Crunch Salad has everything and more you would like in a salad! Juicy, marinated chicken strips are cooked until golden-brown, then go on to join forces with the crispest cabbage, crunchy carrots, and salted-just-right peanuts with a lime-forward dressing that pulls everything together perfectly! Vietnamese Crunch Salad is a simple, flavorful addition to your salad rotation that you will always look forward to. Bring on the flavor!
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lime zest, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into thin strips
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon lime zest, grated
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the salad:
- 5 cups cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, minced
- 1 cup carrots, julienned
- 1 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
Directions
Step 1 –In a large bowl, add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, 1 tablespoon of the cilantro, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the lime zest, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper, the cayenne pepper, and the chicken breast strips and toss to coat.
Step 2 –Cover the marinated chicken strips and refrigerate, about 30 minutes.
Step 3 –In a small bowl, add the remaining olive oil, the remaining lime juice, the rice vinegar, the sugar, the remaining lime zest, the remaining salt, the red pepper flakes, and the remaining black pepper and whisk to combine.
Step 4 –In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1/2 of the marinated chicken strips and cook until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Step 5 –Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate to cool and repeat the cooking process with the remaining marinated chicken strips.
Step 6 –In a large bowl, add the cabbage, the remaining cilantro, the carrots, and the cooked chicken and toss to combine.
Step 7 –Add the peanuts and the dressing to the salad and toss to coat.
Step 8 –Serve.
