Gỏi gà (Vietnamese chicken salad) is a classic dish that brilliantly showcases the bold and vibrant flavors of Vietnamese cuisine. Featuring succulent boiled chicken, crispy fresh vegetables, and a sweet, umami fish sauce dressing, this salad will be a big hit on your dinner table.
And with the addition of fresh herbs that enhance the refreshing flavor, you won’t be able to resist going back for seconds. In today’s post, I’ll show you how to make this stunning and delectable at home from start to finish. Get ready to elevate your salad game!
What’s Stunning About Gỏi Gà?
Salads, or gỏi in Vietnamese, are a vital part of Vietnamese cuisine. The salad in this country is often a mixture of crispy veggies or fruits, such as cabbage, onion, and green papaya, and a tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy dressing made from nước mắm (fish sauce).
Among the many options, chicken salad is certainly one of the most well-loved ones, thanks to the ease of preparation and irresistible flavor. This dish is a vivid-looking and incredibly refreshing combination of tender shredded chicken with two kinds of cabbage and other colorful herbs and vegetables.
In addition, since the recipe doesn’t include cream or mayonnaise, it’s low in calories and can fit perfectly into many dietary plans.
Gear Up for Gỏi Gà with These Tools
You won’t need any special tools to make Vietnamese chicken salad. However, to ensure a good cooking experience, you should prepare the following cookware:
Gather These Ingredients for Gỏi Gà
The ingredients are divided into two main groups: the salad base and the dressing. Take a closer look at them:
For the Salad
Spices and Fish Sauce Dressing
What’s the Process for Cooking Gỏi Gà?
Follow these steps, and you’ll have a classic Vietnamese delicacy to satisfy your taste buds in no time!
Step 1: Prepare the Herbs and Onion
Chop the Vietnamese coriander and spearmint into small pieces.
Mix the onion with 1 teaspoon of sugar. The sugar will reduce the onion’s pungent taste and enhance its crispness.
Then, soak the onion in cold water for 5 minutes, which improves its flavor and color. After 5 minutes, drain the onion.
Step 2: Make the Fish Sauce Dressing
Add these ingredients to a saucepan:
Cook the mixture briefly on low heat, then cut the heat. Let the dressing come to room temperature, and stir in minced garlic, chili peppers, and 1 tablespoon of lime juice.
In addition to this dressing, you can also toss your salad with traditional Vietnamese Nuoc Cham. Both are great options!
Step 3: Prepare the Carrot and Cabbages
Use a peeler to shred the carrot into thin slices.
Mix both kinds of cabbages with 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and vinegar. Marinate them for 5 minutes.
Step 4: Boil the Chicken
Boil the chicken breasts for 15 minutes to ensure they’re fully cooked. Learning the best way to boil chicken breast for shredding will result in better taste and texture.
Wait for the chicken breasts to cool and shred them into bite-sized strips.
Step 5: Toss the Salad
Mix the shredded chicken, Vietnamese coriander, spearmint, roasted peanuts, fried shallots, carrots, onions, and cabbages in a large bowl. Season the salad with 1 teaspoon of salt and pour the fish sauce dressing over it.
Put on your food prep gloves. Toss the salad well to combine.
Step 6: Present the Dish
Transfer the salad to a serving plate. Garnish with extra coriander and spearmint. Enjoy!
What Tips Will Help with Making Vietnamese Chicken Salad?
Here are a few extra tips to help you achieve a perfect Vietnamese chicken salad or turn it into a full meal:
Time to Take Your Salad to Another Level with Gỏi Gà!
Made from simple and readily available ingredients, Vietnamese chicken salad is one of the best dishes to whip up when you crave something healthy and delicious. Whether you’re a fan of Vietnamese cuisine or just looking for a new recipe to try, this recipe is definitely worth a try!
What are your thoughts on this Vietnamese delicacy? Have you decided to try it out? Feel free to leave a comment and let me know how the dish turns out for you. Don’t forget to like and share the post with your friends and family so that they can enjoy it, too!
Gỏi Gà Recipe (Vietnamese Chicken Salad)
Equipment
- Knife
- Chopping Board
- Saucepan
- Food Prep Glove
- Peeler
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
Chicken salad
- 1 pound chicken breast
- 0.55 pound purple cabbage, shredded thinly
- 0.55 pound white cabbage, shredded thinly
- 0.45 pound of roasted peanuts
- 2.65 ounces of fried shallots
- 1.75 ounces of Vietnamese coriander
- 1.75 ounces of spearmint
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion, sliced thinly
- 1 bowl of iced water
Spices and fish sauce dressing
- 3.5 tablespoons of fish sauce
- 7 tablespoons of water
- 2.1 ounces of rock sugar
- 1 tablespoon of lime juice
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 2 teaspoons of brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons of vinegar
Instructions
- Chop the Vietnamese coriander and spearmint into small pieces.
- Mix the onion with sugar. Then, soak the onion in cold water for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, drain the onion.
- Add fish sauce, water, and rock sugar to a saucepan. Cook the mixture briefly on low heat, then cut the heat. Let the dressing come to room temperature, and stir in minced garlic, chili peppers, and lime juice.
- Use a peeler to shred the carrot into thin slices. Mix both kinds of cabbages with 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and vinegar. Marinate them for 5 minutes.
- Boil the chicken breasts for 15 minutes to ensure that they’re fully cooked.
- Wait for the chicken breasts to cool and shred them into bite-sized strips.
- Mix the shredded chicken, Vietnamese coriander, spearmint, roasted peanuts, fried shallots, carrots, onions, and cabbages in a large bowl.Season the salad with salt and pour the fish sauce dressing over it.
- Put on your food prep gloves. Toss the salad well to combine.
- Transfer the salad to a serving plate. Garnish with extra coriander and spearmint. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Don’t toss the salad with the dressing for too long, as the vegetables might shrink.
- Pour the fish sauce dressing on the vegetables spoon by spoon, so you can adjust the taste to your liking.
- The dressing also makes a great dipping sauce for other dishes.
- Some Vietnamese family households enjoy their chicken salad with plain cháo (Vietnamese congee). You can try doing so to turn the salad into a filling meal.
Nutrition
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.