Ingredients

3/4 cup rice-wine vinegar 

1/4 cup fish sauce 

2 tablespoons sambal paste 

1 tablespoon soy sauce 

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 

Juice of 4 large limes 

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying noodles 

2 red finger chiles, thinly sliced crosswise 

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus 1 cup leaves 

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves 

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 

2 ounces cellophane noodles 

1/4 pound snow peas, trimmed and strings removed 

1/2 large green or red cabbage, very thinly sliced 

2 carrots, shredded 

1 English cucumber, sliced 1/4 inch thick on the bias 

1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts 

1/2 cup shredded fresh basil leaves 

1/2 cup shredded fresh mint leaves

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix together vinegar, fish sauce, sambal paste, soy sauce, sesame oil, and lime juice. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup vegetable oil to emulsify. Stir in 1 slice red chile and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro; set vinaigrette aside.

Heat a grill pan over high heat. Rub chicken with 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Place chicken on grill pan and cook, turning once, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a baking sheet; transfer to oven and bake until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool.

Fill a medium saucepan with oil to a depth of 3 inches; heat oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 375 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches, add cellophane noodles to hot oil and cook until puffed, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to cool.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Prepare an ice-water bath and set aside. Add snow peas to boiling water and cook until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to ice-water bath until cooled. Drain and thinly slice on the bias.

Arrange cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, noodles, and snow peas on a large platter. Slice cooled chicken and arrange over salad. Garnish with peanuts, basil, mint, and remaining slices of chile. Serve with vinaigrette.