Gà hấp muối hội is a Vietnamese chicken dish steamed with coarse salt. Sound salty? No, it’s not! The resulting in tender, juicy meat infused with a subtle salty flavor.
The chicken is typically marinated with other ingredients, which you’ll find out in this recipe. With the help of a steamer and some spices, let’s get ready to enjoy a moist, tender chicken dish in Vietnamese style. Scroll down for more!
Quick Facts about Gà Hấp Muối Hột
Gà hấp muối hột (steamed chicken with coarse salt) is a traditional Vietnamese dish known for its simplicity and rich flavor. The main ingredient is a whole chicken, which is marinated with aromatic ingredients such as ginger, lemongrass, garlic, and more.
The cooking method involves steaming the chicken with coarse salt. The coarse salt is a bed for the chicken, ensuring even cooking while preventing the meat from drying out.
A key aspect of this chicken recipe is its health benefits. Steaming is a healthy cooking method that preserves the nutrients in the chicken without adding any extra fats or oils.
In Vietnam, locals commonly enjoy gà hấp muối hột at traditional gatherings, where it is often presented with a whole chicken, making it a visually impressive delight.
Tools for Making Gà Hấp Muối Hột
Check out the list below to prepare kitchen tools to make this Vietnamese steamed chicken with coarse salt.
Gà Hấp Muối Hột’s Essential Ingredients
Besides a chicken, you’re going to need a handful of Asian-style spices and herbs. Here are must-have ingredients for this recipe.
Instructions to Make Gà Hấp Muối Hột
Now, let’s make this steamed chicken dish with only 4 simple steps and a little more than an hour of preparation and cooking.
Step 1: Prepare The Ingredients
Wash the fresh herbs and vegetables: bok choy, potatoes, lemongrass, cilantro, etc. Let them drain for a few minutes.
I recommend using a whole chicken rather than cutting it into pieces. In case you want to get rid of any unwanted smell, rub it with a mixture of salt, lemon juice, and white wine, then wash the chicken with clean water and let it drain or pat dry with a towel. Otherwise, skip this step.
Smash the lemongrass stalks with the meat mallet and cut them in half. Baby potatoes don’t need further preparation, but big ones need to be halved to cook faster.
Chop garlic and cilantro finely. Cut ginger into thin slices.
Step 2: Marinate The Chicken
In a frying pan, marinate the chicken in a mixture of minced garlic, chopped cilantro, unsalted butter, chili powder, turmeric powder, dried oregano, brown sugar, salt, lemon juice, soy sauce, olive oil (if any), and oyster sauce.
Use a fork to stir the marinade well. Next, poke the skin with a poke and leave a few cuts on the meat with the knife so that the marinade can penetrate the chicken more deeply.
Rub the entire chicken vigorously with the mixture; don’t miss the belly. Drizzle some lemon juice over the marinated chicken and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Step 3: Steam The Chicken
Layer an even layer of coarse salt at the bottom of the steamer, followed by smashed lemongrass and ginger slices.
Put the chicken on top and arrange the potatoes neatly around it. Make sure that the chicken doesn’t touch the salt too much to prevent it from getting excessively briny. Close the lid and cook on medium for 35 – 45 minutes.
When the chicken is well done, open the lid but watch out for rising steam. Add some bok choy and cook for 5 more minutes.
Step 4: Decorate The Chicken And Serve
Plate your chicken with potatoes and bok choy on the side. Shred the meat with a fork or your hands, and enjoy!
This dish is best served warm. You can eat it with any type of dipping sauce for a better taste. My favorite picks are chili sauce and spicy salsa.
How Long Can You Store Your Steamed Chicken?
Like other cooked chicken dishes, you can store this steamed delight for 3 – 4 days in the fridge and around 3 months in the freezer as long as you contain it in a suitable container. Remember to reheat it before serving.
Gà Hấp Muối Hột Will Be Your New Favorite Dish!
With a steamer, let’s try this recipe with steamed chicken and coarse salt, a delicious yet healthy delight.
Finally, I hope you will have plenty of fun cooking this dish and tell me about your experience in the comment section. If you have any questions to ask or great tips to share, be my guest! Don’t forget to share this post on your social media. Many thanks, and see you later!
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Gà Hấp Muối Hột Recipe (Vietnamese Steamed Chicken With Coarse Salt)
Equipment
- Pan
- Steamer
- Meat mallet
- Knife
- Fork
- Chopping Board
Ingredients
- 1 free-range chicken (about 3 pounds or 1.3 kilograms)
- 3 lemongrass stalks
- 500 grams coarse salt
Marinade
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- Brown sugar
- Ginger
- Cilantro
- Garlic
- Lemon
- Unsalted butter
- Chili powder
- Turmeric powder
- Dried oregano
Side dish
- 200 grams baby bok choy
- 400 grams baby potatoes
Instructions
- Smash the lemongrass stalks and cut them in half. Chop the garlic and cilantro finely. Cut the ginger into thin slices. If the potatoes are too big, cut them in half.
- Create a mixture of minced garlic, chopped cilantro, unsalted butter, chili powder, turmeric powder, dried oregano, brown sugar, salt, soy sauce, and oyster sauce.
- Put the chicken into the marinade. Incise the chicken lightly to help the marinade penetrate the meat more easily. Drizzle some lemon juice on the chicken. Marinate the chicken for 15 minutes.
- Layer coarse salt, smashed lemongrass, and sliced ginger at the bottom of the steamer. Put the chicken on top with the potatoes neatly around it. Close the lid and cook on medium for 35 – 45 minutes.
- Open the lid and add some bok choy. Cook for 5 more minutes.
- Add bok choy and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Arrange chicken, potatoes, and bok choy on the plate. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- You can replace coarse salt with kosher salt, but don’t use table salt for this recipe.
Richie
Content Writer
Expertise
Home Cooking, Meal Planning, Food Styling, Food Photography, Cooking-video Maker, Beverage Evaluation Expert
Education
Saigon Culinary Arts Centre, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Vietnam Australia Vocational School (VAAC), Hanoi, Vietnam
Richie, based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is a dynamic Content Writer with a talent for capturing the essence of culinary art.
Richie specializes in creating visually appealing and tasty content, offering a new angle on Vietnamese and other culinary traditions. With a background in graphic design and a love for food styling and photography, he expertly combines beauty with food narratives, encouraging his audience to discover the culinary world through his imaginative perspective.