This Vietnamese Chicken and Sweet Pea Salad is fresh, light and packed with texture. Tender shredded chicken meets crisp sugar snap peas and bean sprouts, all brought together with fragrant herbs and a zingy lime-fish sauce dressing. Inspired by traditional gỏi gà, this salad is vibrant enough to be a stand-alone meal, but elegant enough for a shared lunch or dinner.
The quick pickled shallots add a gentle tang, while crushed roasted peanuts give satisfying crunch. It’s the perfect way to use up leftover BBQ chicken or turkey and deliver flavour without heaviness. Serve it at room temperature for maximum aromatic impact.
This salad suits warm weather, easy entertaining and anyone who loves bright, clean, naturally gluten-free flavours.
Vietnamese Chicken and Snap Pea Salad (Gỏi Gà)
Ingredients
Quick Pickled Shallots
- 2 red shallots thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
Salad
- 400 g cooked chicken shredded
- 400 g sugar snap peas halved
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 6 radishes thinly sliced
- coriander leaves handful, chopped
- Vietnamese mint leaves handful, chopped
Dressing
- 2 tbsp honey or brown sugar
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp tamarind paste
- 1/2 clove garlic finely diced
- 1 tsp fermented chilli or finely diced red chilli, to taste
- 1 tbsp fish sauce start with this, then adjust to taste
- 1 tsp sesame oil
To Finish
- 1/3 cup roasted peanuts crushed
Instructions
- Place the sliced shallots in a small bowl. Add the sugar and vinegar, toss well and set aside for at least 20 minutes.
- Place the chicken, sugar snap peas, bean sprouts, radishes, coriander and Vietnamese mint into a large bowl.
- Whisk together the honey, lime juice, tamarind paste, garlic, chilli, fish sauce and sesame oil until balanced.
- Just before serving, add the drained pickled shallots and dressing to the salad and toss gently.
- Sprinkle over the crushed peanuts and serve immediately.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use either free-range chicken breast or thigh. Thigh meat stays juicier and more flavourful when shredded, while breast is ideal if you prefer a leaner option.
Yes. Use gluten-free fish sauce and tamari in place of soy sauce. The remaining ingredients are naturally gluten free.
The chicken can be cooked and shredded up to one day ahead and stored in the fridge. The dressing can also be made in advance. Assemble the salad just before serving for the best texture.
Store leftover chicken and dressing separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to three days. Toss with fresh herbs and vegetables when ready to eat.