Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Salad

A Tangy, Quick, and Easy-to-Make Barbecued Chicken Breast Salad

© Norman Kolpas

Sep 11, 2008

Want to dazzle your friends or family with the lively tastes and bright colors of Asian cuisine? Then serve them this quickly made chicken breast salad, a great example of how quick, easy, and delicious healthy cooking can be.

The chicken marinates and gains in flavor and moisture in the brief time it takes to heat up the grill. And when the weather gets too cold to cook outdoors, you can just as easily make the recipe in your broiler.

Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Breast Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 2 small green chili peppers, stemmed, seeded, and minced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1/2 cup fish sauce (see "Tips and Variations," below)
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 1/2 pound dried thin Asian rice noodles (see "Tips and Variations," below)
• 3 cups mixed baby salad greens
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely shredded
• 1 Asian-style cucumber, peeled and finely shredded
• 1/2 cup finely shredded fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup finely shredded fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped (optional)
• 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

Instructions

1. Preheat an indoor or outdoor grill or broiler. Meanwhile, prepare the chicken, sauce, noodles, and salad.
2. For the chicken, trim the breasts of any fat or connective tissue. One at a time, place each breast half between two sheets of plastic wrap. With a meat pounder or rolling pin, flatten the chicken to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Place each flattened breast in a shallow baking dish.
3. For the sauce, in a mixing bowl stir together the chili peppers, shallots, sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the water. Pour half of the mixture over the chicken, reserving the other half. Turn the chicken to coat it well and leave at room temperature.
4. For the salad, put the rice noodles to soak in a large mixing bowl of warm tap water. Arrange the salad greens on individual large serving plates. As soon as the noodles are soft, after just a few minutes, drain well and arrange in nests on top of the greens in each plate. Scatter the shredded carrot and cucumber over the noodles.
5. Carefully oil the grill or the broiler rack. Shake any excess marinade from the chicken, discarding the marinade. Place the flattened chicken breasts on the grill or rack and cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes total.
6. Remove the chicken breasts to a clean cutting board in the kitchen and, with a large, sharp knife, cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Pile the strips on top of each salad. Generously garnish with the basil, mint, and cilantro, sprinkle with peanuts if you like, and pass the remaining sauce and lime wedges for guests to season their salads to taste.

Tips and Variations

• Look for fish sauce, a salty and pungent Asian condiment, and rice noodles in Asian markets and in the Asian food section of well-stocked supermarkets.
• For a seafood version, substitute jumbo shrimp or sea scallops to make a Vietnamese Grilled Shrimp Salad or Vietnamese Grilled Scallop Salad.
• Bagged, prewashed salad green mixes are ideal for this dish.
• If your supermarket has a salad bar, you can cut prep time by using preshredded carrots and cucumbers. Feel free to substitute other salad vegetables you like.
• In place of the peanuts, try roasted cashews or almonds.

You'll be surprised by how quick and easy it is to make this delicious main course salad. (Looking for other great grilled chicken recipes? Check out Grilled Chicken Fajitas, Grilled Chicken Breast and Vegetable Kabobs, and Buttermilk Grilled Chicken Breasts.)

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