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Aug 7, 2024

Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga)

Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga) is a refreshing warm weather no cook recipe that is a popular dish in both South Vietnam and in U.S. Little Saigon communities. Goi Ga actually means "chicken salad."

Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga) in a bowl with peanuts on top.


This crunchy and spicy salad is filled with shredded chicken, cabbage, carrots, chiles, and lots of fresh herbs. It's also dressed with a sweet, salty, spicy, and tangy dressing. 

It's a fabulous make-ahead dish. You can chop all of the components in advance and then toss everything together right before serving. 

What I love about this salad is that everything is so fresh, tangy, and perfect for a meal when the weather is just too hot for cooking. If you love Chinese Chicken Salad or Chicken Caesar Salad, you'll love this salad. 

Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga) in two bowls.


Ingredients in This Vietnamese Chicken Salad:

Dressing: Fresh lime juice, rice vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, minced garlic, and chile garlic sauce. There's actually no oil in the dressing. 

Chicken: You can steam or bake your own chicken pieces. I recommend buying either a rotisserie chicken or shredded chicken from you grocery store to make this easy. 

Vegetables: Shredded cabbage, either green or Napa, plus shallots or red onions, and carrots. 

Herbs: Big handfuls of fresh basil, cilantro, mint, and parsley. 

Chiles: Sliced jalapeños. 

Topping: Chopped roasted salted peanuts. 

Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga) Ingredients in a bowl ready to toss.


To Make This Vietnamese Chicken Salad:

First, whisk together the dressing ingredients until the sugar has dissolved. Add the shallots or onions to the dressing to marinate and let rest. 

Next, in a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, shredded carrots, jalapeños, and chicken. Add the herbs and toss. Drain the onions from the dressing and add them to the mixture and toss again. 

Finally, top the salad with the dressing and toss. Top with the chopped peanuts and serve. 

Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga) ingredients close up.


I shredded the carrots with a shredded/peeler, which worked fine but took a little bit of time. If you don't mind washing a few extra dishes, a food processor would make fast work of shredding the carrots. 

Recipe Variations and Additions: 

You can add julienned cucumber with the vegetables and some crispy fried shallots or fried onions to the topping. 

If you prefer a little oil in your dressing, add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil or peanut oil. 

Make-Ahead Option:

Besides chopping and shredding everything in advance, you can also assemble the salad in advance and toss it with the dressing. Just keep the basil and the peanuts separate until serving time so that the basil doesn't wilt and turn color and the peanuts don't lose their crispness. 

Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days and will still be really good. 

Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga) in a bowl with a larger bowl in the background.


This salad is loaded with fresh vegetables and herbs, which is why I was inspired to make it for Farmer's Market Week, an event hosted by Jolene's Recipe Journal

Be sure to check out everyone's recipes!

Farmer's Market Week Logo



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  • Creamy Ranch Corn & Cucumber Salad with Dill by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
  • Scarlet Sunrise Platter by Magical Ingredients
  • Broccoli Tots by Palatable Pastime
  • Zucchini Panzanella Salad by Jolene's Recipe Journal
  • Vietnamese Chicken Salad by Karen's Kitchen Stories
  • Mexican Street Corn Pizza by The Spiffy Cookie

  • Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga) in a bowl with wooden serving utensils in the background.


    Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga)

    Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga)
    Yield: 6 to 8 servings
    Author: Karen's Kitchen Stories
    Prep time: 30 MinTotal time: 30 Min
    Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Goi Ga) is a refreshing warm weather no cook recipe that is a popular dish in both South Vietnam and in U.S. Little Saigon communities. Goi Ga actually means "chicken salad."

    Ingredients

    For the Dressing
    • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
    • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
    • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
    • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
    • 4 teaspoons minced garlic
    • 1/4 teaspoon white or black ground pepper
    • 1 teaspoon chile garlic sauce
    For the Salad
    • 1 medium red onion, quartered and thinly sliced, or 2 large shallots, peeled and thinly sliced.
    • 1/2 of a medium head of cabbage, thinly shredded
    • 4 medium sized carrots, peeled and shredded
    • 3 cups shredded chicken
    • 3 medium jalapeños, stemmed, halved, seeds and ribs removed, thinly sliced
    • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves with tender stems included
    • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
    • 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
    • 1/2 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped
    • 1 cup roasted salted peanuts, roughly chopped

    Instructions

    To Prepare the Dressing
    1. Combine the dressing ingredients, whisking constantly until the sugar has dissolved.
    To Make the Salad
    1. Place the onion or shallot slices in the dressing and set aside.
    2. Combine the cabbage, carrots, and chicken, and toss everything together in a large bowl. Drain the onions from the dressing and sprinkle them over the salad.
    3. Add the jalapeños, cilantro, parsley, mint, and basil, and toss.
    4. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Top with the peanuts and serve.

    Notes

    Note: You can assemble the salad ahead of time, but reserve the basil and peanuts to add when you are ready to serve.

    Nutrition Facts

    Calories

    324

    Fat (grams)

    17 g

    Sat. Fat (grams)

    3 g

    Carbs (grams)

    19 g

    Fiber (grams)

    6 g

    Net carbs

    13 g

    Sugar (grams)

    8 g

    Protein (grams)

    27 g

    Cholesterol (grams)

    53 mg
    chicken salad
    salad
    Vietnamese
    Did you make this recipe?
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    Sources for Inspiration: The Little Saigon Cookbook, Milk Street, Food and Wine, and The Seasoned Wok



     

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    1. A perfect summer meal. Thanks Karen. This will be wonderful poolside.

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    2. Oh my, so pretty! And the crunchy peanuts are what really makes it...CRAVE-WORTHY!!!

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    3. This looks so good! Perfect for hot days, definitely will try it soon.

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    4. We just starting buying rotisserie chickens a few weeks back and while my guys will just sit and pick at them I need it zhuzhed up a bit more and this is absolutely the perfect way to do that!

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    5. This is a vibrant, healthy, and inviting meal! Looks and sounds YUM!

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    6. I think everyone in the family would love this

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    7. Another salad I need to make! I love it!

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    8. There are such simple ingredients in this salad, but it looks and sounds amazing. So much flavor and texture. Yum!

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