Vietnamese Cabbage and Chicken Salad: ga xe phay

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We have been grubbing on this Vietnamese Cabbage and Chicken Salad also known as ga xe phay.  It is a savory salad loaded with chicken as well as fresh herbs and topped with a slightly spicy dressing.

Yuie of Lemonpi was tweeting last week about a Vietnamese chicken salad she was making for dinner, it sounded fantastic, and I  wanted the recipe!  I may have begged her a few times while we chatted online.

Imagine how excited I was when I got an email last week with the recipe!  Yuie said that the recipe was originally from Wendy Hutton (the Diva of Southeast Asian Cuisine) cookbook and that she has changed it around to suit her cooking style.  I took both the original as well as Yuie’s version and combined them to make this fantastic salad.  

I used the leftover chicken breasts from the other night, and let me say the chicken was still incredibly moist and slightly spicy.  This salad is light and very refreshing as the base is made from crispy cabbage and an abundance of fresh herbs.  Not only was there plenty for two of us for dinner but we also have enough for lunch the next day.  I love salads that make a meal!

Recipe:  Vietnamese Cabbage and Chicken Salad (ga xe phay)

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, previously cooked, skin and fat removed, shredded
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 cup firmly packed mint leaves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup firmly packed coriander leaves, coarsely chopped
1 small carrot, shredded
1 cucumber, halved, sliced thinly

Dressing:

4 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons fish sauce

3 tablespoons caster sugar

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 large red chili, minced

How To:

Sprinkle salt over the onion, rub with your fingers, and set aside for 30 minutes.

To prepare the dressing, combine all ingredients in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside for the flavors to blend.

Just before serving, put the cabbage, vegetables, and herbs in a large bowl.

Rinse the salted onion under running water, then squeeze dry and add to the salad base.

Add the chicken and dressing, tossing to combine well.

Serve.

Eat.

More Vietnamese Recipes Worth Making

Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken

Vietnamese Style Noodles

Banh Mi Pork Burger