Goi Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Cabbage Salad)

About This Recipe

Goi ga is Vietnam's answer to chicken salad -- shredded poached chicken and finely sliced cabbage tossed in a sharp, sweet-sour-salty nuoc cham-style dressing, finished with mint, cracked black pepper, and crunchy fried shallots. It's a dish built entirely on contrast: crisp raw vegetables against tender chicken, sour lime against sweet sugar and fish sauce, and fresh herbs cutting through the richness of the fried shallots on top. The technique that makes goi ga work is salting the cabbage briefly before dressing it -- this draws out excess water so the salad stays crisp rather than watering down the dressing as it sits. The dressing itself follows the classic Vietnamese ratio of fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and garlic-chile, whisked until the sugar dissolves and tasted until it hits that specific balance of sour-sweet-salty-spicy that defines Vietnamese dressings. Served as a starter or light main with shrimp chips (banh phong tom) on the side, goi ga is a staple at Vietnamese family gatherings precisely because it can be made ahead in parts and tossed together at the last minute, staying crisp and vibrant on the table for hours.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 300 gboneless chicken breast
• 0.5 headgreen cabbage(finely shredded)
• 1carrot(julienned)
• 0.5 tspsalt(for salting cabbage)
• 3 tbspfish sauce
• 3 tbsplime juice
• 2 tbspsugar
• 1 clovegarlic(minced)
• 1Thai chile(minced)
• 0.5 cupmint leaves(torn)
• 0.25 cupfried shallots
• 1 tspcracked black pepper
• 0.25 cuproasted peanuts(crushed)

Instructions

1. 1

   Poach the chicken

   Simmer chicken breast in salted water for 12-15 minutes until cooked through. Let cool, then shred into thin strips.

2. 2

   Salt the cabbage

   Toss shredded cabbage and carrot with salt and let sit 15 minutes, then squeeze out excess liquid with your hands.

3. 3

   Make the dressing

   Whisk fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic, and chile until sugar dissolves completely.

4. 4

   Combine

   Toss cabbage, carrot, and shredded chicken with the dressing until evenly coated.

5. 5

   Finish

   Add torn mint and half the fried shallots and peanuts, tossing gently. Taste and adjust with more lime or fish sauce.

6. 6

   Serve

   Plate and top with remaining fried shallots, peanuts, and cracked black pepper.

Variations

• •

  Goi tom: swap chicken for poached or grilled shrimp.

• •

  Goi bo kho: use dried shredded beef (bo kho) for a chewier, more intense version common in southern Vietnam.

• •

  Add shredded green mango or unripe papaya alongside the cabbage for extra tartness and crunch.

Storage

Best eaten within an hour of dressing. Store undressed components (cabbage, chicken, dressing) separately in the fridge up to 2 days and combine just before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions