Vietnamese Salad Bowl – Bún Gà Nướng Recipe
This Vietnamese Salad Bowl, known as Bún Gà Nướng, is a vibrant and flavorful dish featuring marinated grilled chicken served over rice vermicelli noodles with fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables, and a tangy, sweet, and savory fish sauce dressing. Perfect for a light and refreshing meal, it beautifully balances sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors with fresh textures.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes (including marinating time)
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Marinade
- 500 g Chicken fillet (1.1 lb), thinly sliced
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp Brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Fish sauce
- 1 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 Lime, juiced
- 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp Lemongrass, finely ground
Nước mắm Fish Sauce Dressing
- 50 g Granulated sugar (¼ cup)
- 60 ml Water (¼ cup)
- 2 cloves Garlic, finely minced
- 2–4 tbsp Vietnamese fish sauce, to taste
- 2 Fresh limes, juiced (to taste)
- 1–2 Red chili (bird’s eye), thinly sliced (to taste)
Salad and Noodles
- 200 g Dried rice vermicelli noodles (7 oz)
- 1 large Carrot, coarsely grated
- 1 seedless Cucumber, cut into thin sticks or noodles
- 6 leaves Iceberg or romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped
- Mint leaves, coarsely chopped
- Cilantro, coarsely chopped
- Crushed peanuts for topping
Instructions
- Prepare the Lemongrass: Cut the lemongrass finely and grind it using a mortar and pestle until it becomes a fragrant paste.
- Marinate the Chicken: In a medium bowl, combine the sliced chicken fillet with minced garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, ground lemongrass, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Mix well to coat the chicken evenly. Allow it to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour to absorb the flavors.
- Make the Nước Mắm Dressing: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine granulated sugar and water. Stir continuously until the sugar fully dissolves, then remove from heat and allow the syrup to cool completely. Once cooled, add finely minced garlic, fish sauce (begin with 2 tablespoons), lime juice (begin with juice of 1 lime), and thinly sliced red chili. Taste and adjust by adding more fish sauce and lime juice as preferred to balance saltiness and acidity.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet, frying pan, or wok over high heat. Add the marinated chicken slices and sear them quickly until cooked through, ensuring a slightly caramelized surface. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Prepare the Noodles: Boil rice vermicelli noodles according to package instructions until tender. Drain the noodles and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process and remove excess starch. Drain well and set aside in a colander.
- Prepare Vegetables and Herbs: Coarsely grate the carrot and cut the cucumber into thin sticks or noodle-like strips. Chop the lettuce coarsely to serve as the salad base. Wash the mint and cilantro thoroughly and chop them roughly.
- Assemble the Salad Bowl: In individual serving bowls, arrange a bed of rice vermicelli noodles and top with shredded carrot, cucumber sticks, chopped lettuce, mint, and cilantro. Add the cooked chicken on top, sprinkle with crushed peanuts, and serve alongside the prepared Nước mắm sauce for drizzling.
Notes
- Marinate the chicken longer for deeper flavor if time permits, even overnight in the refrigerator.
- Adjust chili quantities in the dressing to control spiciness to your liking.
- Use fresh herbs generously to enhance the authentic Vietnamese flavor profile.
- Crushed roasted peanuts add a nice crunchy texture contrast to the soft noodles and tender chicken.
- If you prefer, grill the chicken instead of pan-frying for a smoky flavor.
- This dish is best enjoyed fresh but leftovers can be stored separately and combined before serving.
Keywords: Vietnamese salad bowl, Bún Gà Nướng, grilled chicken salad, rice vermicelli noodles, Vietnamese fish sauce dressing
