🥢 Vietnamese Vermicelli Salad with Grilled Chicken
Looking for a high-protein, low-fat meal that actually tastes like summer? This Vietnamese-inspired vermicelli bowl hits every note: cool rice noodles, crisp herbs, pickled veggies, and juicy grilled chicken — all brought to life with a tangy, umami-packed dipping sauce. Unlike restaurant versions that sneak in seed oils or deep-fried shallots, this version is clean, lean, and 100% pro-metabolic. It’s also endlessly customizable: bump the carbs for a refeed, or keep it tight for a cut. And yes — it’s still so satisfying.
📝 Ingredients (Serves 2)
🍜 Vermicelli Base:
3 oz dry rice vermicelli noodles (about 2 loosely packed cups cooked)
8 oz chicken breast, cut into thin strips or chunks
1 tsp coconut aminos/tamari and/or fish sauce (for chicken marinade)
2 cups shredded romaine or butter lettuce
½ cup fresh cucumber, thinly sliced
¼ cup shredded or julienned carrot
Fresh herbs — mint, cilantro, Thai basil
🥣 Nuoc Cham-Inspired Sauce (Low-Fat):
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp coconut sugar or maple syrup
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp water
Optional: pinch of chili flakes
🔧 Optional Garnish (Choose 1 if fat allows):
1 tbsp crushed peanuts (~4g fat)
1 tsp fried shallots (~1.5g fat)
1 tbsp pickled onion (fat-free, adds tang)
🔥 Directions
Cook vermicelli noodles according to package. Rinse under cold water and drain well.
Marinate chicken in coconut aminos/tamari and fish sauce. Grill or sear in a cast-iron pan until fully cooked (no oil needed on the grill, maybe a small amount of ghee spray on the cast-iron).
Assemble salad bowls with lettuce, herbs, cucumber, carrot, and noodles.
Top with chicken, garnish with herbs and optional toppings.
Whisk nuoc cham sauce ingredients together. Drizzle over each bowl just before eating.
📊 Macros (Per Serving without garnish):
Calories: ~350
Protein: ~30g
Carbs: ~40g
Fat: ~4g
(Add ~4g fat per tbsp of peanuts or garnish as needed.)
