Vietnamese Chicken Salad Recipe (Goi Ga)

Looking for a refreshing and appealing dish to add variety to your family meals? Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga) is the perfect choice. With its harmonious sweet and sour flavors, tender shredded chicken, and crisp vegetables, this dish is sure to delight everyone. Let’s explore how to make this authentic Vietnamese chicken salad with the recipe below!

Ingredients You’ll Need

To make this delicious Vietnamese chicken salad, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 1/2 chicken (preferably free-range)
• 100g roasted peanuts, roughly crushed
• 2 cucumbers, 1 onion, 1 carrot
• 1 piece ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 1 red chili, 2 fresh limes
• 60g Vietnamese coriander (Rau Ram), 7 lime leaves
• Seasoning: Vinegar, salt, fish sauce, sugar, black pepper

Ingredients for Vietnamese chicken salad laid out on a surface

Tips for Selecting Fresh Ingredients

How to Choose Good Chicken

• Select chicken with glossy yellow skin, free from bruises or strange spots.
• The meat should be bright pink, and feel firm and elastic when pressed.
• Avoid chicken that has an unpleasant odor, feels slimy, or has skin separating from the meat.

Tips for Picking Fresh Carrots

• Fresh carrots have a deep orange color, smooth skin, and fresh green tops.
• They should feel firm when gently pressed, not too soft.
• Do not choose carrots that are bruised, wilted, or have dark spots.

How to Make Vietnamese Chicken Salad

Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients

• Wash the chicken thoroughly with diluted salt water, then pat dry.
• Peel the cucumbers and carrots, wash them, and thinly julienne.
• Peel the onion, cut it in half, slice thinly, and soak in ice water for 10 minutes to reduce pungency.
• Squeeze the limes for juice; remove seeds from the chili and slice thinly.
• Peel and crush the ginger; peel and mince the garlic.
• Pick the tender leaves of the Vietnamese coriander, wash, and roughly chop.

Julienned cucumbers and carrots in a white bowl

Step 2: Make the Dressing

• In a small bowl, dissolve 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in 3 tablespoons of warm water.
• Add 1.5 tablespoons of lime juice, 1.5 tablespoons of vinegar, and 3 tablespoons of fish sauce.
• Finally, add the minced garlic and stir the mixture well.

Mixing the fish sauce dressing for chicken salad in a small bowl

Step 3: Cook and Shred the Chicken

• Place the chicken in a pot with 500ml of water, the crushed ginger, and lightly crushed lime leaves.
• Cook over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
• Remove the chicken, let it cool completely, then shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.

Shredded cooked chicken breast in a bowl

Step 4: Assemble the Salad

• In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken with the julienned cucumber, carrot, and sliced onion (drain well).
• Pour the dressing over the ingredients and toss gently to ensure everything is evenly coated.
• Arrange the salad on a plate, garnish with Vietnamese coriander, sliced chili, and crushed roasted peanuts.

Finished plate of Vietnamese chicken salad garnished with herbs and peanuts

Tips for Removing Chicken Odor

For a more fragrant chicken salad, you can use one of these methods:

• Use salt: Rinse the chicken with diluted salt water.
• Use vinegar: Add a splash of vinegar to the boiling water.
• Use tea: Boil the chicken with a plain tea bag.

Important Notes

• Cook the chicken until just done; avoid overcooking, which can make the meat dry.
• You can add other vegetables, but avoid strongly flavored herbs like mint or Thai basil which can overpower the dish.
• This salad is best enjoyed immediately after preparation to savor its fresh flavors and textures.
• If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a maximum of 1 day.

Conclusion

With the simple Vietnamese chicken salad recipe we’ve just shared, you can confidently prepare this delightful dish at home. Don’t forget to follow the “Sổ Tay Món Ăn” (Recipe Handbook) website for more delicious and useful cooking recipes!