Xôi gà is a mouth-watering Vietnamese chicken sticky rice dish that locals often serve at breakfast. But many people like to have it for lunch, dinner, and snacks, too. After discovering how easy and enjoyable this dish is, I’m sure you will follow their example.
In this article, I will show you the significance of xôi gà and other xôi (sticky rice) dishes, must-have tools for making xôi gà, necessary ingredients, and a step-by-step guide on how to cook the dish. As a bonus, I will also share a few tips on preparing, serving, and storing xôi gà. Let’s read on!
What Is Special About Xôi And Xôi Gà?
Xôi gà is one of the most distinguished members of the family of xôi, a category of Vietnamese dishes based on sticky rice. You may know about this ingredient as sweet rice or glutinous rice. It is gluten-free like regular rice but boasts a chewier texture and a sweeter taste when cooked.
Xôi can be made with various ingredients, from mung beans to meat and Chinese sausage. Depending on the add-ons, it can be a sweet dessert or a savory snack and breakfast staple. Xôi gà falls into the latter category and is a very popular street food item.
Vietnamese people usually have this dish for breakfast. This finger-licking Vietnamese dish is even present at special occasions like weddings or death anniversaries. My recipe incorporates a golden omelet and scallion and oil garnish for extra indulgence.
What Tools Are Required To Make Xôi Gà?
Xôi gà doesn’t require complicated tools. Check out the following list to see what you have available.
What Are The Ingredients of Xôi Gà?
You will need the following ingredients to prepare the two main parts of this dish: the chicken and the sticky rice, plus an omelet and additional garnish.
For The Chicken
For The Rice
Others:
How To Make Xôi Gà From Scratch?
The making of xôi gà involves cooking the chicken and infusing it with flavors, making omelet slices, cooking the sticky rice with coconut milk, and arranging all the ingredients into the finished dish. Let me walk you through the process:
Step 1: Prepare The Sticky Rice
Pour the sticky rice into a large bowl filled with water and rinse it until the water runs clear.
Drain the water from the bowl and let the rice dry.
Step 2: Cook The Chicken
Fill the stockpot with water. Add the white part of the scallions, shallots, and salt to the stockpot.
Add the chicken breasts. Boil them for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a plate.
When the chicken breasts cool down, shred them into delicate but not-too-thin strands with your hands. Alternatively, you can do so with the fork.
Heat up a skillet. Add sugar, salt, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and a little water. Mix them with a spoon.
Add the shredded chicken and stir constantly until it absorbs the flavors well.
Step 3: Make The Omelet
Heat some oil in the skillet. Beat the eggs in a small bowl with no seasoning.
Add the eggs to the skillet and let it cook. Rotate the pan to distribute the heat more evenly.
When the omelet is nearly done (80% or so), roll it with the fork and the spatula. While this step is optional, it will greatly improve the food presentation.
Step 4: Cook The Sticky Rice
In a heated skillet, stir-fry the sticky rice, coconut milk, and salt until the rice has absorbed the coconut milk.
Fill the steamer with water and place it on the stovetop. Turn on the heat. When the water starts boiling, add the stir-fried rice to the basket and spread it evenly. Put the lid on and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid, fluff the rice, and leave it alone for excess moisture to evaporate. I suggest waiting for at least 3 minutes.
Step 5: Complete The Dish
Cut the rolled omelet into thin slices.
Plate the sticky rice with scallions and oil garnish on top.
Arrange the shredded chicken and omelet slices around the rice.
Decorate the dish with cilantro.
What Are The Tips For Getting The Best Xôi Gà?
To sum it up, you should cook with boiling water, experiment with different ingredients, and exclude the step of soaking the rice. This section also covers in-depth information about pairing suggestions for xôi gà and the correct way to store and reheat the dish.
What To Pair With Xôi Gà?
Since Vietnamese chicken sticky rice is a full meal on its own, it needs no side dish. But in my experience, some hot sauce, pork pâté, or tangy pickles go very well with the savory flavor of the dish.
How To Store And Reheat Xôi Gà?
The best way to store xôi gà is to keep the cooked rice and the chicken separately in air-tight containers in the fridge. Doing so will help them last from three to five days.
In theory, you can freeze the dish for several months. But I advise you to store the rice in the freezer only for a week or less because the longer it stays there, the more its texture and flavor will deteriorate.
To reheat xôi gà, you can use a rice cooker, a microwave, or a steamer. Don’t forget to sprinkle a small amount of water over the sticky rice to keep it soft and, well, sticky.
Do You Love The Smell Of Xôi Gà In The Morning?
Whether you are wandering the bustling streets of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City or enjoying a homemade meal in a little-known village in Vietnam, don’t expect to escape the grasp of xôi gà. Its beautiful contrast between juicy chicken and sweet, chewy rice is sure to be a killer combo.
To find a perfect example of simplicity, creativity, and love for food in Vietnamese cuisine, xôi gà is the ideal candidate. Let me know if you agree in the comments. Don’t be afraid to share your tips for cooking or enjoying this dish. Lastly, please share this post with your friends! Many thanks!
Xôi Gà Recipe (Vietnamese Chicken Sticky Rice)
Equipment
- Stockpot
- Non-stick skillet
- Steamer
- Ladle
- A pair of tongs
- Spatula
- Large bowl
- Fork Optional
Ingredients
- 1.1 pounds sticky rice
- 200 ml coconut milk
- 1 pound chicken breasts
- 3 eggs
- 1.5 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1.5 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1.5 teaspoons Vietnamese fish sauce
- 4 scallions
- 4 shallots
- Toppings: fried shallots; scallions and oil garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the sticky rice in water and let it drain.
- Boil the chicken breasts in water with the white part of the scallions, shallots, and salt for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, let the chicken breasts cool down.
- Remove the chicken breasts from the pot and shred it.
- Cook the chicken lightly in a skillet with sugar, half the amount of salt, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and a little water.
- Beat the eggs and cook them with no seasoning in the skillet. Roll the omelet with the fork and the spatula and remove it from the skillet.
- Stir-fry the sticky rice with coconut milk and the remaining salt in the skillet until the rice has absorbed the coconut milk.
- Place a filled steamer on a heated stovetop. When the water starts boiling, add the stir-fried rice to the basket and spread it evenly.
- Put the lid on and cook for 10 minutes.
- Fluff the rice and leave it alone for at least 3 minutes.
- Slice the omelet thinly. Plate the sticky rice, topped with scallions and oil, surrounded by chicken and omelet. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
Video
Notes
- The directions are for preparing four servings.
- Only add the sticky rice to the basket when the water is boiling and very hot.
- You can use other types of chicken and eggs, such as rotisserie chicken, fried chicken, fried eggs, etc.
- You can add other types of toppings, such as Chinese sausage, Vietnamese pork ham, meat floss, fried tofu, mushrooms, etc.
- The sticky rice doesn’t have to be soaked in water before being cooked.
Tien – Alden
Content Writer
Expertise
Home Cooking, Recipe Development, Food Editor, Beverage Editor, Cooking-video Maker, Asian Food Content Creator
Education
Saigon Tourism College
Advanced Culinary Workshop, Beijing
Vietnamese Traditional Cooking School
American College of Vietnam
Alden is a skilled chef with expertise in Asian cuisines, known for blending traditional Vietnamese and Chinese cooking with contemporary innovations. Alden’s passion for Asian flavors and her creative approach to both food and beverages inspires fellow chefs and those aspiring to enter the field.