Vietnamese Chicken and Cabbage Salad

Name: Vietnamese Chicken and Cabbage Salad
Ingredients: Vietnamese vinaigrette; 2 chile peppers, seeded + minced; 1 garlic clove, minced; 2 tablespoons sugar (I like using brown, but white works too); 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice wine vinegar; 3 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed; 3 tablespoons nuoc mam or nam pla (fish sauce); 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; black pepper to taste; For the salad; 1 medium onion, thinly sliced; 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken; 4 cups red cabbage, shredded, soaked, rinsed and dried (see Step 2); 1 cup carrot, shredded; 1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped or torn into pieces; 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped or torn into pieces; 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped or torn into pieces (OPTIONAL)