I love roasting whole chicken, especially in the winter. So when I decided to whip up a batch of cranberry chicken salad for a little Winter Solstice soiree, I utilized my leftover roast chicken to make this quick, healthy, Vietnamese inspired weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

2 cups leftover roast or Rotisserie chicken, shredded

1 head Bibb lettuce, or lettuce of choice, washed and trimmed

1/2 a cuke (English cucumber), thinly sliced

1 to 2 carrots, washed, trimmed, and thinly sliced

1 cup mint, washed and stems removed

1 cup Thai Holy Basil, if available, washed and stems removed

1 green bell pepper, trimmed, seeds and membranes removed, and thinly sliced

1 stalk fresh lemongrass, trimmed and thinly sliced

1″ piece of ginger, skin removed and thinly sliced

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 whole star anise

1 dried arbol chile, optional

1/4 cup Nauc Chom or sauce of choice

1/2 lime, cut into wedges for serving

salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a med sized skillet or saute pan over med high flame, heat the toasted sesame oil until just shimmering. Add in the whole star anise and saute for 1 to 2 minutes to perfume the oil. Remove star anise and discard.

Add in immediately after, the bell pepper, chili de arbol, if using, lemongrass, and fresh ginger. Saute a few minutes more until the bell pepper is tender and the lemongrass and ginger are fragrant.

Turn off heat and stir in the leftover chicken. Continue to toss and stir until the chicken is well coated in the seasonings and has warmed through. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serve immediately with the lettuce, sliced raw veggies, fresh herbs, lime wedges, and Nauc Chom, or sauce of choice.