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Vietnamese chicken cabbage salad goi ga with shredded chicken, peanuts and herbs in a white bowl on dark slate

Goi Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Cabbage Salad)

Vietnamese shredded chicken and cabbage salad with herbs, peanuts, fried shallots and a lime fish sauce dressing. About 46 grams of protein per serving, ready in 30 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g boneless skinless chicken breast about 14 oz, 2 medium breasts
  • 2 slices ginger for poaching
  • 1 tsp salt for poaching water
  • 300 g green cabbage about 4 cups, finely shredded
  • 100 g red cabbage about 1.5 cups, finely shredded
  • 1 medium carrot about 80 g, julienned or coarsely grated
  • 1/4 red onion sliced paper thin and soaked in cold water for 5 minutes
  • 1 cup mixed fresh herbs Vietnamese mint or regular mint, cilantro, Thai basil if you have it, roughly torn
  • 25 g roasted unsalted peanuts about 3 tbsp, roughly crushed
  • 2 tbsp fried shallots store-bought is fine
  • 3 tbsp lime juice about 2 limes
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 red chili sliced, Thai or Fresno, optional

Method
 

  1. Put the chicken, ginger and salt in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 2 cm (1 inch). Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then cover, turn the heat to low and cook for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave covered for 10 more minutes while you prep. The thickest part should read 74 C (165 F).
  2. Whisk the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, garlic and chili in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Taste it. It should be sharp, salty and sweet in roughly equal measure.
  3. Toss the green cabbage, red cabbage and carrot together in a large bowl. Drain the red onion and add it.
  4. Lift the chicken out of the pot, rest it for 5 minutes, then shred it with two forks into thin strips, working along the grain.
  5. Pour two thirds of the dressing over the vegetables and toss with your hands for a minute, squeezing lightly so the cabbage softens. Add the chicken, herbs and remaining dressing and toss again.
  6. Divide between two plates and top with the crushed peanuts and fried shallots. Serve right away.