This is a pan-cooked chicken salad dressed with fish sauce, lime, and palm sugar, with three fresh herbs and crunchy raw vegetables. It comes together in about 35 minutes, and most of that is hands-off cook time. If you need to feed a crowd on a weeknight, this scales cleanly — double the chicken and dressing, use a bigger bowl, done.
Shopping notes
- Lemongrass: Buy fresh stalks if you can find them — usually in the produce section near fresh herbs or in Asian grocery stores. Peel off the tough outer layers and use only the pale inner stalk. Jarred minced lemongrass works in a pinch but is milder; use about 1.5 times the amount.
- Palm sugar: Found at Asian grocery stores, often sold in discs or blocks. Shave or grate it before measuring. Brown sugar is a straightforward substitute — same quantity, slightly less floral.
- Fish sauce: Any widely available brand works. If you’re cooking for someone who avoids fish products, soy sauce plus a small squeeze of lime gets you close enough.
- Fresh herbs: All three — mint, cilantro, basil — matter here. Skipping one changes the flavor noticeably. Thai basil is ideal but Italian basil is fine.
What makes this version work
Two things actually move the needle. First, the lemongrass goes directly onto the raw chicken before it hits the pan — even a short 5-minute rest lets the aromatic oils start breaking into the meat, so the flavor isn’t just surface-level. Second, the dressing is built to be assertive: fish sauce and lime juice in a 3-to-2 ratio gives you enough salt and acid to cut through the warm chicken without drowning the herbs. Taste it before you pour — if it seems sharp on its own, that’s correct, because it softens once it coats everything in the bowl.
What can go wrong
- Watery salad: Cucumbers release liquid fast once dressed. If you’re not serving immediately — especially for a larger group where the salad might sit — salt the cucumber slices, let them drain in a colander for 10 minutes, and pat dry before adding them to the bowl.
- Rubbery chicken: Thin slices overcook quickly. Pull the pan off heat as soon as there’s no pink left; carryover heat finishes the job. Slicing against the grain before cooking also helps keep things tender.
- Dressing won’t dissolve: Palm sugar in block form doesn’t dissolve easily in cold lime juice. Warm the lime juice for 20 seconds in the microwave before whisking — the sugar incorporates in under a minute.
- Flat flavor when scaled up: Doubling the recipe doesn’t always mean doubling the dressing works perfectly — larger batches of salad can dilute the punch. Mix the dressing separately, dress in two rounds, and taste between additions rather than pouring it all at once.
- Herbs turn dark: Basil bruises and blackens quickly once chopped. Add the herbs last, right before serving, especially if you’re prepping components ahead of time.
Keeping and reheating
Store the chicken, vegetables, and dressing separately in the fridge — the assembled salad goes soggy within a couple of hours. Cooked chicken keeps for up to 3 days in an airtight container; the dressing keeps for up to a week. The raw vegetable mix (without herbs) holds for about 2 days covered. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the chicken briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or serve it at room temperature — both work. Skip reheating in the microwave; it toughens the slices. This salad doesn’t freeze well — the herbs and cucumbers don’t survive it.
Cambodian Lemongrass Chicken Salad
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Frying pan
- Tongs
- Cutting board
- Chefs Knife
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 pound chicken breast thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 stalks lemongrass finely chopped
- 1 cup cucumber sliced
- 1 cup carrot shredded
- ½ cup red bell pepper sliced
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup fresh basil sliced
For the Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar or brown sugar, to taste
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes adjust to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Salad: In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken slices with lemongrass, ensuring the lemongrass is distributed evenly. Let it marinate for a few minutes to infuse the flavors.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat (about 170°C / 340°F). Add chicken slices and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 6-8 minutes.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, carrot, red bell pepper, mint leaves, cilantro, and basil. Toss to mix the ingredients well.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a separate small bowl, whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, garlic, and red chili flakes until the sugar is dissolved.
- Combine and Serve: Place the cooked chicken on top of the salad. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss lightly to combine. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For an added crunch, consider topping the salad with roasted peanuts or sesame seeds.
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I use rotisserie chicken instead of cooking the breast from scratch?
Yes, and it’s a genuine time-saver. Shred or slice about 2 cups of rotisserie meat and toss it with the lemongrass while it’s still slightly warm so the aromatics have something to cling to — you won’t get the same depth as marinating raw chicken, but it’s close enough on a busy night.
How spicy is this with 1 teaspoon of chili flakes?
Mildly spicy — noticeable warmth but not sharp heat. If you’re serving guests with different spice tolerances, leave the chili flakes out of the main dressing and set them on the table so people can add their own.
Can I make this ahead for a dinner party?
Yes — prep everything up to a day in advance and keep the components separate. Cook the chicken, make the dressing, and cut the vegetables the night before; add the fresh herbs and dress the salad no more than 15 minutes before you serve it. Skip the garnish of extra herbs on top — not worth the extra dish when you’re already managing multiple components for guests.
What can I serve alongside this to make it a fuller meal?
Steamed jasmine rice is the most straightforward option and absorbs the extra dressing well. For a larger spread, plain rice noodles or quick-pickled cucumbers alongside it round things out without adding much prep time.
What to cook next
- Quick Korean Bibimbap Bowls
- Quick Ginger Scallion Wontons
- Smoky Lime Corn Salad
- Crispy Halloumi Panzanella Salad