Vietnamese salad bowl, Bún Gà Nướng, is a delightful dish that offers a taste of Vietnamese cuisine. With its juicy chicken, fresh herbs, crunchy toppings, and tangy sauce, it’s a refreshing and flavorful option that’s sure to please. Plus, it’s simple and easy to make. Perfect for those seeking a satisfying yet light meal, especially during the summer months.
Nước mắm
Nước mắm, a classic Vietnamese dipping sauce, is made with fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, water, and chili. It boasts a perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors, making it a versatile condiment that complements many Vietnamese dishes. This sauce also doubles as the dressing for the salad. Adding its signature blend of flavors to elevate the overall taste experience. Simply mix all the nước mắm ingredients in a bowl, ensuring the sugar fully dissolves into the sauce, and adjust any ingredients as needed.
How to make Bún Gà Nướng – Vietnamese Salad Bowl
Chicken
For the chicken, combine sliced chicken fillet with marinade ingredients like garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Let the mixture marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature while you prepare the other salad ingredients.
Vegetables and herbs
Prepare the vegetables and herbs by coarsely grating the carrot, cutting the cucumber into thin sticks or make cucumber noodles, and chopping the iceberg lettuce, cilantro, and mint.
Rice noodles
Next, boil the rice vermicelli noodles according to the package instructions. Then drain and rinse them under cold running water before setting them aside in a colander.
Assemble the salad
Start by arranging a base of lettuce. Then, add the noodles on top. Following that, incorporate the prepared vegetables and herbs. Next, layer the wok-cooked chicken over the noodles and sprinkle with crushed peanuts. Serve alongside the Nước mắm sauce, generously drizzling it over the salad for an extra burst of flavor. Lastly, mix everything together and enjoy your delicious Vietnamese salad bowl!
These bowls should be served cold, so all ingredients can be done ahead of time and kept in the fridge.
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Vietnamese salad bowl – Bún Gà Nướng
Equipment
- 1 wok, frying pan or skillet
Ingredients
Chicken
- 500 g Chicken fillet (1.1 lb)
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 tbsp Brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Fish sauce
- 1 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 Lime juiced from 1 lime
- 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp Lemongrass
Nước mắm – Fish sauce/dressing
- 50 g Granulated sugar (¼cup)
- 60 ml Water (¼cup)
- 2 cloves Garlic finely minced
- 2-4 tbsp Vietnamese fish sauce
- 2 Fresh limes juiced to taste
- 1-2 Red chili, (bird's eye) small sliced very thin to taste
Bowl ingredients
- 200 g Dried rice vermicelli noodles (7 oz)
- 1 Carrot large
- 1 Cucumber seedless
- 6 leaves Iceberg or romaine lettuce
- Mint leafs
- Cilantro
Instructions
Chicken Marinade
- Cut the lemongrass and then grind it in a mortar with a pestle.
- In a medium bowl, combine the sliced chicken fillet with all the marinade ingredients (garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, lemon grass, brown sugar, and vegetable oil). Allow the mixture to marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature while you prepare the other salad ingredients.
Nước mắm Fish sauce/dressing
- Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves. Set aside and allow it to cool completely.
- Next, stir in the garlic, fish sauce (beginning with 2 tbsp), lime juice (starting with the juice of 1), and thinly sliced chili. Adjust the flavor by adding more fish sauce and lime juice to balance the saltiness and citrus according to your taste preferences.
Cook the chicken
- Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet, frying pan, or wok over high heat. Sear the chicken until it is cooked through. Then, set it aside on a plate.
Noodles
- Boil the rice vermicelli noodles according to the package instructions, drain them, and rinse under cold running water. Then, set aside in a colander.
Vegetables and herbs
- Coarsely grate the carrot and cut the cucumber into thin sticks or make cucumber noodles. For the salad base, prefer coarsely chopped iceberg lettuce. Wash the cilantro and mint, then coarsely chop them.
Assemble the salad
- To assemble the salad, combine the rice noodles with carrots, cucumber, lettuce, mint, and cilantro. Then, add the wok-cooked chicken and top it with crushed peanuts. Finally, serve it with your Nước mắm sauce.
Enjoy!
