Chicken and Herb Salad With Nuoc Cham 

Nuoc cham, a Vietnamese sauce bright with lime juice and chile, is tossed into this simple, satisfying salad to give it a salty-sweet finish. Thinly sliced bell pepper and shaved cabbage provide crunch, while meat pulled from a store-bought rotisserie chicken — or any leftover chicken — soaks up the dressing. Serve this by itself, or alongside steamed rice or room-temperature cooked rice vermicelli. 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 bird’s-eye chile or other small hot chile, minced with seeds
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 3 loosely packed cups chicken meat (12 ounces, pulled from store-bought rotisserie chicken or roast chicken)
• 2 cups thinly sliced red or green cabbage
• 1 small English cucumber, thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 medium bell pepper (any color), thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups peppery leafy greens, such as watercress with tender stems, arugula or mizuna
• 1 loosely packed cup Thai or sweet basil leaves
• 1 loosely packed cup mint leaves
• 1/2 cup crispy fried shallots or onions, store-bought or homemade

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and 1/4 cup water. Whisk to dissolve the sugar. Add the garlic, chile, lime juice and fish sauce. Stir to combine.
2. Add the chicken, cabbage, cucumbers and bell pepper to the dressing. Toss to coat. Add the leafy greens and the basil and mint leaves. Toss to combine.
3. Divide the salad among bowls, garnish with the crispy shallots and serve immediately.