This salad is based on my all-time favorite order at a little Vietnamese place we used to go to. It was our favorite spot for quick lunches when we lived in Calgary. I always got B8 off the menu which was a Saté chicken bun vermicelli dish. I have a version of that exact dish here on the blog with this Vietnamese Saté Chicken Noodle Bowls recipe. But I wanted to do a super veggie-packed salad with all of those addictive flavors, and here it finally is. So if you find yourself craving comforting deep flavors, but still want to get loads of veggies in, this is your dish. It’s also the kind of dish you’ll find yourself craving because it’s so flavor-packed. And you don’t really notice it’s mostly a big bowl full of veggies. I’ve found this to be key for both myself and Tyler, you really have to enjoy your veggies, to consistently eat lots of them day after day. This recipe is fairly easy to prepare, mostly it’s just chopping veggies. The marinade for the chicken uses similar ingredients as the salad dressing. That way you can make both at once while you have everything out of the fridge. It’s definitely best to marinade the chicken for as long as you can for the best flavor. I like to mix mine up in the morning and marinade the chicken for the whole day. But I have marinated it for just an hour after work, so that does work in a pinch. My favorite way to eat any type of salad based a Vietnamese dish is with 3 fresh herbs. Mint, basil, and cilantro make the most amazing flavor. However, let’s talk ‘real world’ where I rarely have all three on hand. During winter months, I pick just one herb to be more budget-friendly. And I always pick cilantro because it’s great with both Asian and Mexican cuisines. So part of my bunch of cilantro will go into this salad, and the rest will be some type of taco dish or guacamole. But if you have lots of fresh herbs on hand during the summer months, go all out and use the trifecta! Since the chicken cooks quickly on the grill, I like to have all of my salad ingredients prepped and ready to go. Once the salad ingredients are ready, you cook the chicken. Grilled is definitely my favorite flavor combination with this salad. But if you don’t have a grill, you can sauté the chicken thighs on the stovetop. If you didn’t mix up the dressing when you made the marinade, mix it together while the chicken cooks. The longer this dressing sits, the more heat it will have as the chilis impart their flavor. If you don’t like any heat at all, leave them out, or use half the amount called for. If the dressing separates, simply shake it back together right before serving. Once the chicken is done, slice it, or cube it into bite-sized pieces, and pile it onto the salad. Serve the salad with the dressing on the side along, with the toasted cashews, and lime wedges for squeezing over the top. And be prepared to fall in love with veggies in a big way! 5 from 13 reviews
