Vietnamese Banh Mi Salad
This Vietnamese Chicken Banh Mi Recipe, served as a Vietnamese Salad, is a favorite you can enjoy, even when you’re watching your waistline.
After the annual holiday free-for-all, It’s now time to refocus on healthy eating habits and exercise.
Boy, do I ever need it!
I could probably use a couple weeks of solid greens to get myself back on track.
It can be a little tricky to recalibrate your diet and still enjoy what you eat…
This Vietnamese Salad should make my annual January transition from sugar-laden gluttony to healthy eating a bit easier. (Few things make me happier than Vietnamese cuisine.)
It’s a variation of a personal favorite, the traditional Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwich.
I like to call it a Banh Mi Recipe, yet since “Banh Mi” refers to bread, I guess the name isn’t really appropriate.
This bread-less Banh Mi Recipe, is light, healthy, and has all the bright flavors of a classic Banh Mi sandwich, stacked on a bed of crispy greens.
Spicy grilled chicken, sweet pickled cucumbers and radishes, carrots, herbs, even the mayonnaise is represented in a light creamy vinaigrette.
The Vietnamese Chicken is marinated in a savory, yet tangy, mixture of fish sauce, lime juice, garlic and jalapeno to give it a bold “umami” flavor.
A touch of sugar in the marinade causes the outside of the Vietnamese chicken to caramelize when it grills, so it’s dark and crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
I tossed the cucumbers and radishes in a sweet pickling liquid, so they absorb the flavor and soften just a little. The vinegar mixture is then used as the base of the vinaigrette, to make this Vietnamese Salad come together in a flash.
This Banh Mi style Vietnamese Salad is loaded with flavor. So much so, you won’t even miss the bread!
More Figure-Friendly Salads:
Smoked Trout Salad with Peaches and Avocado
Shaved Fennel Salad with Roasted Beets
Crunchy Kale Salad ~ Use Real Butter
Edamame and Quinoa Salad ~ Ambitious Kitchen
Chopped Brussels Sprouts with Blue Cheese ~ Two Peas & Their Pod
Vietnamese Banh Mi Salad
Ingredients
For The Vietnamese Chicken:
- 1 pound chicken breast
- 1/2 cup fish sauce
- 1/2 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 jalapeno chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
For the Vietnamese Salad:
- 1 cup sliced cucumber heaping
- 1 bunch radishes sliced
- 1 bunch green onions chopped
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro
- 1 head romaine lettuce roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup hot tap water
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Banh Mi Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons reserved vinegar mixture
- 3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients for the chicken marinade in a baking dish. Place the chicken in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, chop the vegetables for the salad. Mix the hot water, vinegar, red pepper and salt in a medium bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Then place the cucumbers and radishes in the mixture to pickle. Toss and set aside.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat. Grill the chicken for 5 minutes per side, then cover with foil and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Place the romaine lettuce on dinner plates, topped with carrots, pickled cucumbers and radishes, sliced chicken, cilantro and green onions.
- Mix 2 tablespoons of the pickling vinegar liquid with mayo and olive oil. Whisk well and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over the top of the salads.
I’ve had this post open for the last day and every time I look at it I get hungry. Looks amazing!
Yum! I say your Vietnamese Banh Mi Salad is even better than the Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwich. What a delicious and healthy dish to start off the New Year! :)
This looks fantastic, Sommer!
This looks like the perfect new years refresher!
Seriously girl, this is my kind of dinner! Love the wrap idea, too.
This is such a unique twist on banh mi. Love the flavors!
Oooh, love the flavors of this salad!
Fresh, crunchy and healthy. YUM
Wow! What an amazing salad! It reminds me of my awesome journey to Vietnam many years ago. I love how you made Banh Mi as salad, great idea.
Oh freaking heck yeah on my face this is AWESOME.
Love this salad, Sommer! Gorgeous and filled with texture!
Beautiful! My kind of food.
A salad version of my favorite sandwich?! I’m so in!
Oh my yum! I have been drooling over this since this morning :D The guys and I will be enjoying this al fresco for sure. xo By the way I meant to tell you…I ADORE your new look :D
So healthy! Thanks for sharing Sommer!
What a gorgeous colorful salad! Love it :)
This looks like the perfect salad for me to transition with too!!
Now this is a salad I need in my life this instant!!! It is so colorful and a smart way to do Banh Mi!