Crispy Butter Chicken Salad

by Thuy Diem Pham, featured in One Pan Vietnam

Published by Quadrille

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Introduction

This salad is traditionally served with Vietnamese chicken porridge, cháo gà, a comforting family favourite often enjoyed when feeling under the weather. Nutritious and soul-warming, it’s the Vietnamese equivalent of a mother’s hug. It also pairs beautifully with most braised or grilled dishes. Why not remove the chicken and swap it in for coleslaw at your next barbecue? With its tangy dressing and fresh herbs, it makes an ideal side for many dishes in this book or a satisfying stand-alone meal.

For US measures and ingredient names, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

As featured in

One Pan Vietnam

Image of Thuy Diem Pham's Crispy Butter Chicken Salad — Photo by Laura Edwards

Ingredients

Serves: 2

Metric U.S.

For the chicken salad

4 boneless chicken thighs skin-on (patted dry)
4 pinches of salt
30 grams butter
½ white cabbage (thinly sliced)
1 carrot (julienned)
½ cucumber (deseeded and julienned)
1 red onion (thinly sliced)
5 grams fresh coriander (finely chopped)
5 grams vietnamese mint (or regular mint), leaves picked
2 tablespoons ginger and chive oil (see below)
250 millilitres nước chấm (see below)
2 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts (roughly crushed, to garnish)

For the ginger and chive oil

400 millilitres vegetable oil
200 grams fresh ginger (peeled and finely diced)
100 grams chives (chopped)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons light soy sauce

For the nước chấm sauce

900 grams golden caster sugar
600 millilitres warm water
300 millilitres fish sauce
300 millilitres lime juice
180 grams red chillies - or 50g/1¾oz bird's eye chillies - finely chopped
120 grams garlic (finely chopped)

For the chicken salad

4 boneless chicken thighs skin-on (patted dry)
4 pinches of salt
1 ounce butter
½ white cabbage (thinly sliced)
1 carrot (julienned)
½ cucumber (deseeded and julienned)
1 red onion (thinly sliced)
⅕ ounce cilantro (finely chopped)
⅕ ounce vietnamese mint (or regular mint), leaves picked
2 tablespoons ginger and chive oil (see below)
1 cup nước chấm (see below)
2 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts (roughly crushed, to garnish)

For the ginger and chive oil

1¾ cups vegetable oil
7 ounces fresh gingerroot (peeled and finely diced)
3½ ounces chives (chopped)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons light soy sauce

For the nước chấm sauce

2 pounds superfine sugar
2½ cups warm water
1¼ cups fish sauce
1¼ cups lime juice
6½ ounces red chiles - or 50g/1¾oz bird's eye chillies - finely chopped
4 ounces garlic (finely chopped)

Method

Crispy Butter Chicken Salad is a guest recipe by Thuy Diem Pham so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe

For the Ginger and Chive Oil

This fragrant finishing oil enhances simple dishes with its aromatic richness. Drizzle over vegetables, fish, meat, noodles or rice for an instant flavour boost, but be sure to scoop up some of the chives at the bottom of the jar, too!

Makes 500ml / generous 2 cups

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium-high heat until it reaches 150°C/302°F. To check if the oil is ready, dip a wooden chopstick into it. If bubbles form around the chopstick, it's ready.
Remove from the heat, then stir in the ginger, chives, salt and soy sauce.
Leave the mixture to cool before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 months.

For the nước chấm

The true staple of Vietnamese cuisine. Many dishes wouldn't be complete without it. It's so good that it works just as well with non-Vietnamese recipes. Once you've tasted it, this umami-rich, flavour-packed sauce will find its way onto everything you eat, from grilled (broiled) meats and fresh spring rolls to salad bowls.

Makes 1.3 litres / 2¾ pints

Add the sugar and warm water to a large bowl, stirring well until dissolved. Mix in the fish sauce and lime juice, then leave to cool.
Once completely cooled, stir in the chilli and garlic. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

For the chicken salad

Lightly salt the chicken thighs, then place them skin-side down in a cold frying pan (skillet). Turn the heat to medium and cook for 15–20 minutes, until the skin is golden and crispy. Flip the chicken over, add the butter and cook for an additional 5–10 minutes until fully cooked through.
In a large bowl, mix the cabbage, carrot, cucumber and red onion, along with the coriander and mint. Pour in the ginger and chive oil and nước chấm, and toss to combine.
Slice the cooked chicken into strips. Plate the salad ready for serving and place the chicken on top.
To garnish, sprinkle the roasted peanuts over the salad for a lovely added crunch to finish.

For the Ginger and Chive Oil

Makes 500ml / generous 2 cups

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium-high heat until it reaches 150°C/302°F. To check if the oil is ready, dip a wooden chopstick into it. If bubbles form around the chopstick, it's ready.
Remove from the heat, then stir in the ginger, chives, salt and soy sauce.
Leave the mixture to cool before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 months.

For the nước chấm

Makes 1.3 litres / 2¾ pints

Add the sugar and warm water to a large bowl, stirring well until dissolved. Mix in the fish sauce and lime juice, then leave to cool.
Once completely cooled, stir in the chilli and garlic. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

For the chicken salad

Lightly salt the chicken thighs, then place them skin-side down in a cold frying pan (skillet). Turn the heat to medium and cook for 15–20 minutes, until the skin is golden and crispy. Flip the chicken over, add the butter and cook for an additional 5–10 minutes until fully cooked through.
In a large bowl, mix the cabbage, carrot, cucumber and red onion, along with the coriander and mint. Pour in the ginger and chive oil and nước chấm, and toss to combine.
Slice the cooked chicken into strips. Plate the salad ready for serving and place the chicken on top.
To garnish, sprinkle the roasted peanuts over the salad for a lovely added crunch to finish.

Additional Information

Serving Suggestion
This salad is traditionally served with Vietnamese chicken porridge, but it pairs beautifully with most braised or grilled dishes. Its tangy dressing and fresh vegetables balance out the rich flavours of more substantial meals, making it an ideal side for many of the dishes in this book or as a stand-alone dish.