Goi ga – Vietnamese Chicken and Cabbage Salad Recipe
Goi ga is a light, crunchy chicken salad that in Vietnam is often served at family gatherings and weddings as one of the first courses. Instead of mayonnaise, it has a refreshing dressing made with lime and fish sauce, and the whole dish is full of fresh herbs and toasted peanuts. It’s a great way to use up boiled chicken from broth in a completely new form.
This salad combines the freshness of herbs, the crunch of vegetables and peanuts, and a bright lime–fish sauce dressing, giving you all the characteristic Vietnamese flavors in a simple, home-friendly form.
Chef's tips
Don’t skip massaging the cabbage with salt – it makes it more delicate while keeping it crunchy. Taste the dressing before adding it to the salad and adjust the balance of sourness, sweetness and saltiness to your liking by adding a bit more lime juice, sugar or fish sauce.
How to serve
Serve with extra lime wedges and a small bowl of additional fish sauce on the side so everyone can adjust the flavor. It also pairs well with grilled meats or as a starter before a Vietnamese-style main course.
Ingredients
- chicken breast - 400 g
- white cabbage finely shredded - 300 g
- carrot grated into thin strips - 1 piece
- red onion sliced very thinly - 0.5 piece
- fresh mint leaves - 1 handful
- fresh coriander - 1 handful
- peanuts toasted and lightly chopped - 40 g
- lime juice - 2 piece
- fish sauce - 3 tablespoon
- sugar - 1.5 tablespoon
- garlic finely chopped - 2 clove
- chili pepper seeded, finely chopped, optional - 1 piece
- salt - 0.5 teaspoon
- black pepper freshly ground - 0.25 teaspoon
Preparation
- Place the chicken breast in a pot, cover with water so it is completely submerged, and lightly salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook for 12–15 minutes, until the meat is cooked through. Remove from the water and set aside to cool slightly.
- Very finely shred the cabbage and transfer to a large bowl, add 0.5 teaspoon of salt and gently massage with your hands for 1–2 minutes, until it softens slightly but is still crunchy.
- Grate the carrot into thin strips or cut into matchsticks, slice the onion into very thin slivers. Add to the cabbage.
- Shred the chicken into thin strips or fibers with your fingers. If it is too hot, wait a few minutes until it is comfortable to handle.
- Prepare the dressing: in a small bowl mix the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, garlic and chili. Stir until the sugar dissolves. The dressing should be distinctly sour-sweet-salty.
- Add the shredded chicken to the bowl with the vegetables, pour in the dressing and mix everything thoroughly with your hands or large spoons. Taste and season with pepper or a little salt if needed.
- Roughly chop the mint and coriander or tear the leaves with your fingers, add to the salad just before serving and gently toss.
- Sprinkle the salad with toasted peanuts on top and serve immediately while it is still very crunchy.
Storage
Store the salad without herbs and peanuts if possible; add them just before serving so they stay fresh and crunchy. Keep the salad in the fridge for up to 1 day – the cabbage will soften slightly but will still be tasty.
I like to make this salad whenever I have leftover chicken from making broth – it turns a simple ingredient into something vibrant and full of texture, and it disappears from the table surprisingly fast.
