Boiled Chicken

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Gà luộc is a traditional dish consisting of a whole boiled chicken. Although the dish has origins in Chinese cuisine, it's particularly popular in northern Vietnam during the celebration of Lunar New Year (Tet). Gà luộc is made with a combination of a whole chicken, ginger, salt, scallions, turmeric, and sometimes lime leaf strands. The chicken is rubbed with salt, then boiled in water with ginger, scallions, and turmeric until shiny and golden. It's important to keep the skin intact as it can break if the chicken is submerged in boiling water. Once boiled, it's soaked in ice water in order to stop cooking and prevent darkening. The chicken is sometimes topped with lime leaf strands, and the dish is often accompanied by a dip based on salt and lime. Gà luộc symbolizes abundance and prosperity, and it's typically served with sticky rice on the side.