Best Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Ga Xe Phay)
This Vietnamese chicken salad (Gà Xé Phay) is crisp, refreshing, and full of flavor. Juicy poached chicken, crunchy cabbage, and herbs tossed in a tangy fish sauce dressing make it perfect for summer or light meals anytime.
When the weather turns hot, I crave something cool, crisp, and bursting with flavor—and this Vietnamese chicken salad (gà xé phay) is one of my go-to dishes.
Inspired by the humble, unforgettable meals I enjoyed while traveling through the Mekong Delta with my young family, this recipe is a heartfelt nod to the simple, street-style salads I remember so well.
Moist, tender poached chicken breast is shredded and tossed with crunchy cabbage, carrots, and herbs, then soaked in the bold, sweet-sour-salty magic of Nuoc Mam, the classic Vietnamese fish sauce dressing. Every bite delivers the contrast of textures and flavors that makes Vietnamese chicken salad so refreshing and addictive.
If you want to make it a complete meal, add rice vermicelli. Otherwise, this is a fantastic light lunch or side that bursts with flavor in every bite. For a heartier pairing, try it with my Vietnamese Chicken Curry (Cà Ri Gà)—the rich, coconut-based broth complements the salad beautifully.
Notes on Key Ingredients
- Poached Chicken: Instead of boiling the chicken, I poach it gently with a few slices of ginger. This method ensures juicy, tender meat without the gamey flavor that overcooking can cause. It makes all the difference in texture and taste.
- Shredded Vegetables: The crunch comes from shredded cabbage and carrot, soaked briefly in cold water to perk them up. I love how the icy soak tames the sharpness of the red onion, too. A generous toss of herbs—mainly cilantro and mint—gives this salad its bright Vietnamese identity.
- Nuoc Mam Dressing: A Vietnamese staple made with fish sauce, lime, vinegar, garlic, chili, and sugar for sweet-sour-savory-spicy balance. I use palm sugar (or brown sugar) to round it out with a deep caramel note.
These step-by-step photos are here to guide you visually through the recipe. For exact measurements and full instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card below.
How to make Vietnamese chicken salad (Ga Xe Phay)
1. Poach and Shred the Chicken: Simmer chicken breasts gently with a few ginger slices, then let them rest off heat with the lid on. Once cool, shred into thin strips.
2. Soak the Vegetables: Soak shredded cabbage, carrot, and onion in cold water for about 10 minutes, then drain well.
3. Make the Dressing: Mix softened palm sugar (or brown sugar) with fish sauce, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, and chili until dissolved and well combined.
4. Assemble and Serve: Toss the chicken and vegetables with your desired amount of dressing. Finish with roasted peanuts and fried shallots. Serve immediately or chill briefly.
This salad is one of those dishes that gets better the more you make it your own. Feel free to adjust the herbs or spice level to match your taste. Once you try it, it might just become your new warm-weather favorite!
More Southeast Asian Salad Recipes
- Classic Thai Beef Salad (Yum Nua)
- Asian Pineapple Cucumber Salad
- Light Thai Glass Noodle Salad (Yum Woon Sen)
- Vietnamese Mango Shrimp Salad (Gỏi Xoài)
Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Ga Xe Phay)
Ingredients
For salad
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 4 cup (400 g) shredded cabbage
- 1 (about 70–80 g) carrot, shredded
- 1/2 (about 50–60 g) red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cup (60 g) mixed fresh herbs such as cilantro and mint, chopped
- 3 tbsp (30 g) roasted peanut, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp (15 g) fried shallot
For nuoc mam dressing
- 4 tbsp (50 g) palm sugar or brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (80 mn) boiling water
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1-2 fresh red chili, minced
- 3 1/2 tbsp (52 ml) fish sauce
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) lime juice
Instructions
- To poach chicken breast, add a few thin slices of ginger in a pot of water. Bring to boil. Add the chicken, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from heat, and leave chicken breast to stand with lid on for 20 minutes or longer. Shred the chicken breast; set aside.
- To make the nuoc mam dressing, put palm sugar (or brown sugar) in a small mixing bowl. Add boiling water to dissolve the sugar. Add the garlic, chili, fish sauce, vinegar, and lime juice, and stir well.
- To assemble the salad, combine shredded chicken, salad vegetables, and herbs in a large mixing bowl. Pour about 1/3 cup of dressing to the salad and toss well. Add more dressing to get your preferred taste.
- Garnish salad with chopped peanuts and crisp-fried shallots (if using) and serve immediately. To turn this salad into a more filling meal, serve it over rice vermicelli. It also makes a wonderfully light and refreshing lunch on its own
Notes
Palm sugar often comes in hard blocks. To soften, wet the sugar with a bit of water and microwave in a covered bowl for 30–45 seconds. For a liquid version, add 1 tbsp water to 3 softened pieces and microwave again. Store any unused portion in an airtight container and reheat briefly if it hardens.
I truly enjoy your recipes! They are always delicious and easy to follow.
I do have a suggestion regarding the units of measurement. As a cook who primarily uses the metric system, I often find myself converting your ingredient quantities (cups, tablespoons, etc.) to metric for easier preparation.
It would be incredibly helpful if your recipes could either be exclusively in metric or offer both imperial and metric measurements. This would greatly enhance the cooking experience for those of us who prefer metric.
Thank you for considering my suggestion.
Hi Missy
Thank you so much for pointing that out! I try to include metric measurements in grams and liters whenever possible, but some of my older posts, like this one, are still missing them. I’ll be sure to add metric units when I update existing recipes or share new ones. I really appreciate your suggestion! Thank you!
Absolutely LOVE this salad! I always ordered it, but so delighted that I found this recipe and it tastes soooo delicious!
This is a dish my mother used to make for me, it has always been a favorite of mine. Just the thought of it gets me craving it. I had to make it….I followed all of your instructions and it tasted amazing. I was so happy with it I brought some for the girls at the office and made a batch for my sister and her husband…everyone raved just like I knew they would. If you on the fence about making this….get up and do it! it is fantastic. Thank you Holly….Kimbap is next!
Hi Rick
I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this salad. Food has a magical power to bring childhood memories. I am glad you shared this salad with your loved ones. I hope you succeed with my kimbap recipe, too.
What a fun flavor twist on a classic summer salad! I happen to have some palm sugar in the pantry right now, so I think I have all of the ingredients on hand to make a batch. The chopped peanuts in there add a fun flavor profile! Oh, and thanks for the tip about soaking the veggies in cold water – makes sense, but I’ve never thought about that before.
This is my kind of salad! So light and refreshing, yet fulfilling! 🙂 Love the addition of chopped peanuts and fried shallots, yum!
This salad looks and sounds wonderful – loving all the flavours going on here. And this sweet & salty fish sauce? Sounds intriguing and tasty!
Lovely flavour! I always enjoy light yet flavourful Vietnamese cuisine.
Such a great way to use chicken! Loads of flavor in this, and hearty enough to serve as a main course salad. Thanks!
Terlihat agak sulit untk dicoba