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Aside from Chinese chicken salad, this is truly one of my favorite salad recipes. I love everything about it—the balance of tart and sweet, the variety of textures, and especially that crunch that makes every bite so satisfying. It’s bright, refreshing, and full of Vietnamese flavors that never get old.
I grew up eating rice porridge (cháo) with a side of this salad, and in the very traditional Vietnamese way, we often add it on top of the porridge itself. It’s that perfect yin and yang combination: the warm, soft rice porridge meeting the cool, crisp salad. The contrast of temperatures and textures is what makes it so comforting and so distinctly Vietnamese.
That said, you don’t need rice porridge to enjoy this dish—it’s just as delicious all on its own. I also love how quick and easy it is to make, especially if you use rotisserie chicken. Once you’ve shredded the chicken, it’s simply a matter of tossing all the ingredients together: cabbage, herbs, onions, carrots, and bell peppers. The result is light, crunchy, and full of flavor.
The salad dressing is what ties it all together—a perfect balance of vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper that brings brightness to every bite. And don’t skip the fried shallots. They add a savory depth and delicate crispness that take this salad to the next level.
Traditionally, the salad is finished with a drizzle of fish dipping sauce topped with grated ginger, which enhances all the flavors. You can find my recipe for the fish dipping sauce right here on the site—it’s the same versatile sauce that works beautifully with so many Vietnamese dishes.
Sprinkle on some crushed peanuts, a handful of fresh herbs, and a bit of chopped cilantro, and you have a salad that’s as satisfying as it is vibrant. It’s one of those dishes that feels equally at home on a weeknight dinner table or as part of a special family gathering.
Simple, balanced, and bursting with freshness—Gỏi Gà is Vietnamese comfort food at its most refreshing.
Vietnamese Cabbage Chicken Salad – Goi Ga
Ingredients
Salad dressing:
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 2 tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
Salad mix:
- 2 rotisserie chicken, deboned, skin removed, shredded
- 1 whole cabbage, julienned
- ½ cup rau ram, roughly chopped (if you don’t have it then you can substitute with basil)
- ½ cup mint leaves, roughly chopped
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced, soak in ice cold water
- 2 red bell peppers, julienned
- 1 cup carrots, julienned
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 cup bean sprouts
Garnish for salad:
- 3 large shallots, thinly sliced and fried
- ½ cup peanuts, roughly chopped
- ½ cup fish dipping sauce, topped with grated ginger
- chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients for the salad dressing. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add all the ingredients of the salad mix and top it with the shredded chicken.
- When ready to serve, pour salad dressing and toss.
- Garnish salad with fried shallots, cilantro and peanuts.
- Additionally, you can add some fish dipping sauce to the salad.
Nutrition
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