Vietnamese Chicken Recipe

Thinly slice red Fresno chiles and place in a small jar.

Make quick pickle: whisk together 60 ml rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 0.5 teaspoon salt until dissolved. Pour over chiles.

Let sit for at least 15 minutes. Refrigerate up to 3 days.

In a small bowl, whisk lime juice, peanut butter, fish sauce, and sugar until smooth.

Mince garlic and whisk into the mixture. Gradually whisk in water to reach desired consistency.

Taste and adjust with more lime juice or sugar as needed.

Rinse and dry romaine, kale, and cabbage. Chop romaine and kale; shred cabbage.

Slice cucumber into thin rounds or half-moons. Julienne carrots.

Rinse mung bean sprouts; pat dry.

Chop cilantro and mint leaves. Slice green onions thinly.

Toast peanuts lightly (optional) for extra aroma.

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.

Set up dredging stations: in one dish, place flour and cornstarch; in another, whisk eggs; in a third, combine breadcrumbs, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne.

Dredge each chicken breast in the flour mixture, shake off excess, dip into eggs, then coat with breadcrumbs.

Heat oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Fry chicken until golden and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes per side depending on thickness. Drain on a rack.

In a large bowl, toss romaine, kale, cabbage, cucumber, carrots, mung bean sprouts, cilantro, mint with 2–3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette.

Arrange greens on plates; top with sliced crispy chicken.

Scatter pickled Fresno chiles and sliced green onions over the bowls; sprinkle toasted peanuts.

Serve with extra vinaigrette on the side if desired.