Papaya chicken salad is a refreshing dish that harmoniously combines tender chicken and crunchy fresh papaya. With its rich sweet and tangy flavor, this salad brings a light and vibrant touch, perfect for family meals or festive gatherings. The simplicity in preparation, yet the sophistication in flavor, makes papaya chicken salad an excellent choice, showcasing the rustic and natural culinary traditions of the Hmong people.
Main ingredients for papaya chicken salad
The main ingredients for papaya chicken salad are simple but bring a fresh and delightful flavor. The combination of green papaya, chicken, and familiar seasonings creates a dish full of tangy, sweet, and mildly spicy flavors.
- Papaya: The key ingredient that adds a crunchy texture and refreshing flavor to the salad. Shredded green papaya keeps the salad crisp and retains its natural taste.
- Chicken: Boiled and shredded, the chicken adds a mild sweetness and tender texture that balances well with the crunch of the papaya.
- Roasted peanuts: Provide extra crunch and a nutty, mildly rich flavor, enhancing the overall complexity of the dish.
- Fresh herbs: Including cilantro and basil, they bring a fresh aroma, elevating the flavor profile of the salad.
- Garlic and chili: Add a hint of heat and distinct fragrance, balancing the sweet and tangy elements.
- Fish sauce, sugar, lime: These are the main seasonings that create a harmonious blend of sweet and sour flavors, making the salad both savory and refreshing.
How to Choose Fresh Chicken
- If you are buying live chicken, choose ones that move actively, have smooth and shiny feathers. Avoid those that appear droopy, have their tails down, frizzy feathers, bruised legs, or pale combs.
- If you are purchasing pre-packaged chicken, select pieces with a characteristic golden-yellow skin, feeling smooth and elastic to the touch. Fresh chicken should have a natural pinkish-red color without any signs of blood clots or unusual bruises. If buying packaged chicken, pay attention to the expiration date and check the packaging for any tears.
How to Choose Good Papaya for Salad
- To ensure a delicious papaya salad, choose large but still green papayas that feel firm when touched.
- Opt for papayas that feel heavy and have a sticky stem, as these usually contain fewer seeds, thicker flesh, and more fruit.
- If possible, select freshly picked duck-bill papayas, as they will be crunchy and not soft, making the dish more enjoyable.
- Avoid purchasing papayas if it has rained in the past few days, as they will likely lack flavor, affecting the quality of the dish.
View more: How to make Hmong Papaya Salad
Recipe and How to make Papaya Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- Chicken: 1 kg half a chicken
- Green Papaya: 500 gr about half a fruit
- Vietnamese coriander: a little
- Chopped chili: 1 teaspoon
- Chopped garlic: 1 teaspoon
- Shallots: 9 bulbs
- Lime: 1/2 fruit
- Roasted peanuts: a little
- Cooking oil: 1 tablespoon
- Fish sauce: 4 tablespoons
- Salt/Sugar: a little
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken– Rub the chicken all over with salt, including inside the cavity.– Rinse thoroughly with water and let it drain.Ways to prepare chicken without smell:– Method 1: Use a mixture of vinegar and salt in a ratio of 1:1, rub it evenly on the chicken or soak the meat in the mixture for about 3-5 minutes, then rinse with clean water.– Method 2: Use a mixture of lemon juice and salt in a ratio of 1:1, rub it on the chicken or soak it for 3-5 minutes, then rinse with water.
- Prepare other ingredients– Green papaya: wash, peel, and shred into thin strips.– Shallots: peel, slice 6 bulbs thinly, and leave 3 bulbs whole.– Roasted peanuts: shell and crush them.– Vietnamese coriander: wash, drain, and chop finely.Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a pan over medium heat for about 2–3 minutes, then add sliced shallots and sauté until golden and fragrant, then turn off the heat.
- Boil the chicken and shred– Place the chicken in a pot, add enough water to cover it, then add 1 teaspoon of salt and 3 whole shallots.– Start boiling the chicken from cold water on high heat for about 10 minutes.Once boiling, reduce to a simmer for another 15 minutes, then turn off the heat.– Rinse the chicken under running water to clean it, then soak it in ice water to make the skin crispy and the meat white.– After that, remove the bones and shred the chicken into small pieces.
- Prepare the dressing for the salad– Mix 4 tablespoons of fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon of chopped chili, and the juice of 1/2 lime.– Stir gently to completely dissolve the mixture.
- Toss the salad:– In a large bowl, combine the shredded papaya, shredded chicken, sautéed shallots, roasted peanuts, and Vietnamese coriander.– Reserve a little roasted peanuts, Vietnamese coriander, and fried shallots for garnish.– Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad and mix gently with your hands or chopsticks to evenly coat all the ingredients.
- Final dish:– Serve the salad on a plate and sprinkle the reserved roasted peanuts, fried shallots, and Vietnamese coriander on top to make the dish more appealing.– The chicken and green papaya salad is crunchy, with the chicken absorbing the sweet, sour, and spicy flavors, combined with the aroma of fried shallots, Vietnamese coriander, and the nutty taste of roasted peanuts, making it a delightful addition to your family meal.
Hi, I’m Dan, originally from Hmong Vietnam, I’m very happy to share the food and culinary culture of the Asian Hmong community with friends around the world. I hope that each article and recipe will help people understand more about the culinary life and culture of the Hmong people!