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Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga)

Fresh and tangy Vietnamese chicken salad made with shredded chicken, crisp vegetables, and a bold homemade nuoc cham dressing. Ready in 10 minutes with no cooking required.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 4 portions
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Salad
Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese
Calories: 280
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups green cabbage shredded
  • 2 mini Persian cucumbers shredded or julienned
  • 1 medium carrot shredded or julienned
  • 1/2 small red onion thinly sliced
  • 1/2 medium red bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 2 cooked chicken breasts shredded
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp peanuts crushed
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar or white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp lime juice freshly squeezed, about 1 lime
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tsp garlic minced
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper optional
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper or Thai red chili to taste

Equipment

  • Box grater or knife
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl

Method
 

  1. Use a box grater to shred the cabbage, cucumbers, and carrot into thin strips. You can also julienne them with a knife. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  2. Slice the red onion and red bell pepper into thin strips and add to the bowl. Add the shredded chicken and finely chopped cilantro. Toss gently to combine.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, fish sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, sugar, minced garlic, white pepper if using, and crushed red pepper until the sugar fully dissolves and the dressing is smooth.
  4. Pour the nuoc cham dressing over the salad and toss well until every ingredient is evenly coated.
  5. Top with crushed peanuts right before serving. Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.

Notes

Use a rotisserie chicken to save time. Store salad and dressing separately for up to 3 to 4 days. Once dressed, eat within 1 to 2 days. Add peanuts only right before serving to keep them crunchy.