Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Gỏi Gà)
This bright and crunchy Vietnamese Chicken Salad is packed with fresh herbs, tender shredded chicken, and a bold fish sauce dressing that comes together in under 30 minutes.
The Vietnamese Chicken Salad That Will Change How You Think About Salad
If you have ever written off salad as boring diet food, this Vietnamese Chicken Salad is about to change your mind completely. Known in Vietnam as Gỏi Gà, this is one of those dishes that somehow manages to be light and deeply satisfying at the exact same time. It is crunchy, herby, a little spicy, tangy, savory, and just slightly sweet. Every bite is doing something interesting.
This healthy Vietnamese salad is a staple at Vietnamese family tables and casual restaurants alike, and once you taste it, you will completely understand why. It is one of the best Vietnamese salad recipes out there for weeknights, meal prep, potlucks, or any time you need something that feels special without a lot of fuss.
Getting the right ingredients is genuinely important for this one. The dressing is built on good-quality fish sauce, and the difference between a mediocre bottle and a great one like Red Boat is remarkable. A sharp knife or a mandoline also makes quick work of the cabbage shredding.
What Makes This Salad So Good
The magic of a proper Vietnamese chicken salad with herbs is the layering of textures and flavors. This is not just chicken on top of some greens. Here is what you are working with:
- Crisp shredded cabbage (both green and red for color and crunch)
- Tender poached chicken pulled into long, even strands
- A trio of fresh herbs: mint, cilantro, and Vietnamese coriander (rau ram), which has a peppery, slightly lemony character unlike anything else
- Fried shallots and roasted peanuts for that irresistible savory crunch on top
- A punchy nuoc cham-style dressing built from fish sauce, lime, garlic, and a touch of sugar
Together, these Vietnamese chicken salad ingredients create something that is so much greater than the sum of its parts.
Chef's Tip: Do not skip the resting time. Letting the dressed salad sit for 5 minutes before serving allows the cabbage to soften just slightly and the flavors to meld together beautifully. Any longer than 10 minutes though and you will start losing the crunch.
How to Poach Chicken Perfectly Every Time
The key to a truly great crunchy Vietnamese chicken salad is properly cooked, juicy chicken. Over-boiling makes it rubbery and dry, which will drag the whole dish down.
The trick is a gentle poach, not a rolling boil. Bring your water to a boil, add the chicken, then immediately drop the heat to low and let it cook quietly for 13 to 15 minutes. Pull it out, let it rest for a few minutes, then shred it while it is still warm. Warm chicken shreds into long, beautiful strands. Cold chicken tends to crumble.
Shortcut: Store-bought rotisserie chicken works wonderfully here and cuts your prep time nearly in half. Just shred the breast meat and jump straight to assembling the salad.
Building the Perfect Nuoc Cham Dressing
The dressing is the heartbeat of this Viet salad. You are building a classic sweet, sour, salty, spicy balance that Vietnamese cuisine is so celebrated for. Whisk it together and taste as you go.
- Salty and umami: fish sauce
- Sour and bright: fresh lime juice and a splash of rice vinegar
- Sweet: just enough sugar to round out the sharpness
- Aromatic: fresh garlic and sliced red chili
Do not be afraid of fish sauce. It smells pungent on its own but transforms completely once it hits the lime juice and sugar.
Ready to bring it all together? Here is the full recipe:
Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Gỏi Gà)
This bright and crunchy Vietnamese Chicken Salad is packed with fresh herbs, tender shredded chicken, and a bold fish sauce dressing that comes together in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, poached and shredded
- 3 cups green cabbage, very thinly shredded
- 1 cup red cabbage, very thinly shredded
- 2 large carrots, julienned or grated
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed, roughly torn
- 1/4 cup fresh Vietnamese coriander (rau ram), or substitute Thai basil
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, loosely packed
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced into rings
- 1 red chili, thinly sliced, seeds removed for less heat
- 3/8 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fried shallots, store-bought or homemade, for garnish
- 3 tbsp fish sauce, good quality, such as Red Boat
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice, from about 2 limes
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 tbsp neutral oil, such as grapeseed or avocado oil
Instruction
Fill a medium saucepan with enough water to cover the chicken breasts. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a gentle boil. Add the chicken, reduce heat to low, and poach for 13 to 15 minutes until fully cooked through. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes, then use two forks to shred into thin, even pieces.
While the chicken poaches, make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, fresh lime juice, rice vinegar, sugar, minced garlic, and neutral oil. Stir until the sugar fully dissolves. Taste and adjust, adding more lime for brightness or more fish sauce for depth.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded green cabbage, red cabbage, and julienned carrots. Toss well to mix the colors evenly.
Add the shredded chicken to the cabbage mixture along with the sliced green onions, shallots, red chili, mint, cilantro, and Vietnamese coriander (or Thai basil).
Pour about two thirds of the dressing over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly. Taste and add more dressing as desired. Let the salad rest for 5 minutes so the vegetables begin to soften slightly and absorb the flavors.
Transfer to a large serving platter or individual bowls. Top with chopped roasted peanuts and fried shallots. Serve immediately for maximum crunch.
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Large mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowl
- Sharp chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Mandoline slicer (optional, for ultra-thin cabbage)
- Box grater or julienne peeler
- Whisk
- Tongs or salad servers
Notes
Serving and Storing Your Vietnamese Chicken Salad With Vegetables
This salad is best served immediately after dressing, while the peanuts are still crunchy and the herbs are vivid and fresh. Plate it on a large shallow platter for a beautiful presentation at the table.
For meal prep, keep the shredded chicken, vegetable mixture, herbs, toppings, and dressing all stored separately in airtight containers. Everything holds well in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Toss it together right before eating and you have a fresh, healthy Vietnamese chicken salad with vegetables ready in minutes.
Leftover dressed salad keeps for up to one day in the fridge. It softens but still makes a wonderfully flavorful lunch the next morning.
