Xôi Gà Recipe

Lastest Updated June 26, 2024
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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.

Xoi Ga Special

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.

  • Stockpot: For boiling the chicken. The bigger it is, the easier you can cook chicken.
  • Non-stick skillet: This tool is necessary for multiple tasks, such as pan-frying the cooked and shredded chicken, making omelets, and preparing the sticky rice before steaming it.
  • Steamer: For cooking the rice.
  • Ladle: For moving and fluffing the rice.
  • A pair of tongs: For moving the chicken chunks more easily.
  • Spatula: For scraping, flipping, and rolling the omelet.
  • Large bowl: For rinsing the sticky rice. You can find many types of dedicated rice-washing bowls on the market.
  • Fork (optional): For mixing the egg mixture and scraping the omelet.
Xoi Ga Tools1
Xoi Ga Tools2

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

  • Chicken breasts (1 pound, or 450 grams): The best cuts of meat for this recipe. They are lean meat and low in fat. You can replace them with similarly juicy cuts, like chicken thighs.
  • Sugar (1.5 teaspoons): For flavoring the chicken. Brown sugar is my favorite choice.
  • Salt (2 teaspoons): For flavoring the chicken. It is also added to the sticky rice preparation.
  • Oyster sauce (1.5 teaspoons): For flavoring the chicken.
  • Vietnamese fish sauce (1.5 teaspoons): For flavoring the chicken.

For The Rice

  • Sticky rice (1.1 pounds, or 500 grams): I recommend white sticky rice from Vietnam, but you can also use Thai sticky rice or Japanese sweet rice.
  • Coconut milk (200 ml): Coconut milk is used to make sticky rice creamier and more delicious. You can buy unsweetened coconut milk in any grocery store to cut down on sugar content.
Xoi Ga Ingredients2

Others:

  • Chicken eggs (3 eggs): For making the omelet.
  • Scallions (4 scallions): The white part of scallions, to be more specific. It is great for deodorizing the chicken during the boiling process.
  • Shallots (4 shallots): For deodorizing the chicken during the boiling process.
  • Toppings: My choices are the easy-to-make sốt mỡ hành (scallions and oil garnish) and fried shallots.
Xoi Ga Ingredients3

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.

Xoi Ga Step 1 Prepare Sticky Rice

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.

Xoi Ga Step 2 Cook Chicken1
Xoi Ga Step 2 Cook Chicken2

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.

Xoi Ga Step 2 Cook Chicken3

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.

Xoi Ga Step 2 Cook Chicken4

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.

Xoi Ga Step 3 Make Omelet

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.

Xoi Ga Step 4 Cook Sticky Rice1

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.

Xoi Ga Step 4 Cook Sticky Rice2

Remove the lid, fluff the rice, and leave it alone for excess moisture to evaporate. I suggest waiting for at least 3 minutes.

Xoi Ga Step 4 Cook Sticky Rice3

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.

Xoi Ga Step 5 Complete The Dish1

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.

  • Boiling water: You should only add the stir-fried sticky rice to the basket when the water is piping hot, or the rice will never be fully cooked.
  • Use other types of chicken: If you don’t want to cook the chicken by yourself, you can buy premade rotisserie chicken, reheat it, and shred it for this recipe. Additionally, it is a great idea to use leftover fried chicken.
  • Be creative with eggs: Instead of plain omelets, you can also try full-flavored Vietnamese omelets, fried eggs, or scrambled eggs.
  • More toppings: Besides chicken and omelets, you can add other types of savory foods, such as Chinese sausage, Vietnamese pork ham (chả lụa), meat floss, fried tofu, mushrooms, etc.
  • No need for soaking the rice: Many xôi recipes require the sticky rice to be soaked in water for several hours before cooking. Mine replaces it by lightly cooking the rice in coconut oil, so you don’t have to soak it anymore.
Xoi Ga Tips

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!

Xoi Ga Recipe

Xôi Gà Recipe (Vietnamese Chicken Sticky Rice)

Few Vietnamese dishes are as tasty yet easy to make as xôi gà. But to pull it off successfully, you need to know a few insider’s tricks. Continue reading, and I will show you!
5 from 2 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keyword: Vietnamese Chicken Sticky Rice, Xôi Gà
Level of Difficulty: Medium
Dietary Preference: Dairy-Free
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 762kcal

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.
    Xoi Ga Step 1 Prepare Sticky Rice
  • Boil the chicken breasts in water with the white part of the scallions, shallots, and salt for 10 minutes.
    Xoi Ga Step 2 Cook Chicken1
  • After 10 minutes, let the chicken breasts cool down.
    Xoi Ga Step 2 Cook Chicken2
  • Remove the chicken breasts from the pot and shred it.
    Xoi Ga Step 2 Cook Chicken3
  • Cook the chicken lightly in a skillet with sugar, half the amount of salt, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and a little water.
    Xoi Ga Step 2 Cook Chicken4
  • 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.
    Xoi Ga Step 3 Make Omelet
  • Stir-fry the sticky rice with coconut milk and the remaining salt in the skillet until the rice has absorbed the coconut milk.
    Xoi Ga Step 4 Cook Sticky Rice1
  • 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.
    Xoi Ga Step 4 Cook Sticky Rice2
  • Put the lid on and cook for 10 minutes.
    Xoi Ga Step 4 Cook Sticky Rice3
  • Fluff the rice and leave it alone for at least 3 minutes.
    Xoi Ga Step 4 Cook Sticky Rice3
  • Slice the omelet thinly. Plate the sticky rice, topped with scallions and oil, surrounded by chicken and omelet. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
    Xoi Ga Step 5 Complete The Dish1

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 762kcal | Carbohydrates: 110g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 195mg | Sodium: 1599mg | Potassium: 791mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 333IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 5mg
Tien - Alden

Tien – Alden

Content Writer

Expertise

Home Cooking, Recipe Development, Food Editor, Beverage Editor, Cooking-video Maker, Asian Food Content Creator

Education

Saigon Tourism College

  • Program: Certificate in Culinary Arts
  • Focus: Vietnamese and Chinese cuisines.

Advanced Culinary Workshop, Beijing

  • Program: A three-month intensive program of Advanced Culinary Workshop
  • Focus: Authentic Chinese cuisine.

Vietnamese Traditional Cooking School

  • Program: Certificate of Vietnamese Traditional Cooking
  • Focus: A specialized course on traditional and family recipes passed down through generations.

American College of Vietnam

  • Program: Bartender
  • Focus: Provide background knowledge and help students confident to create appealing drinks

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.

5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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