Vietnamese Salad with Chicken

You can easily substitute shrimp or tofu for the chicken. As there are multiple ingredients, if your market doesn’t carry a few items, such as lemongrass or tamarind paste, it’s fine to skip them; this salad will be loaded with flavor.

Serves: Two

Prep Time: 25-30 Minutes

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp avocado oil 

¾ pound chicken breast, very thinly sliced 

¼ tsp sea salt 

1 stalk lemongrass, trim the top and base of the stalk—use only the bottom 3 inches; peel off any dry or tough outer layers, then mince 

1 tsp ginger root, peeled and diced 

Salad: 

2 cups cabbage, thinly sliced 

2 medium carrots, grated 

1 cup daikon radish (1 small daikon radish), grated 

¼ cup fresh basil, chopped 

¼ cup mint, chopped 

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped 

Dressing: 

2 Tbsp macadamia nut oil 

Juice of 1 lime (~ 3 Tbsp) 

1 tsp Tamarind paste 

2 tsp sesame oil 

½ tsp Tamari sauce 

1 tsp honey 

Garnish: 

2 tsp sesame seeds 

Directions: 

Heat a sauté pan to medium-high heat, add oil, then chicken (or other protein), salt, lemongrass, and ginger root. Stir occasionally until lightly browned, about 6-7 minutes, then set aside. 

Combine salad ingredients in a serving bowl. 

Whisk dressing ingredients until mixed. Toss with the salad and chicken.  

Garnish with sesame seeds and serve. 

Enjoy, 

Steven Masley, MD