Vietnamese Roasted Chicken (Gà Nướng) is a must-try dish that’s as flavorful as it is effortless to prepare. This time, I chose a Cornish game hen—perfectly tender, juicy, and just the right size for a cozy meal for two.
Marinated with a 5-spice-infused sauce before baking it in the oven or air fryer, there’s a secret ingredient in the marinade and an ultimate dipping sauce that I’ll reveal later.
Gà Nướng vs. Gà Roti in Vietnam
Outside of Vietnam, Gà Nướng and Gà Roti are often thought of as the same dish—both referring to Vietnamese-style roasted chicken, whether whole, leg quarters, or drumsticks. But in my home country, Vietnam, these two are quite different.
Gà Nướng, true to its name, is essentially grilled chicken. Traditionally, it’s cooked over charcoal to bring out that smoky flavor. These days, though, air fryers are becoming a popular alternative, especially since ovens aren’t commonly used in Vietnam.
As for Gà Rô Ti, despite its name being inspired by “rotisserie chicken” and its French-Vietnamese roots, it actually bears no resemblance to roasted chicken in either flavor or cooking method.
If you order Gà Roti at a restaurant in Vietnam, don’t expect a baked or roasted chicken. Instead, the chicken is pan-fried and then simmered in coconut juice, allowing the sauce to thicken and create a delicious, glossy glaze over the meat.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
I aim to keep the marinade simple with just the ingredients popular in any kitchens. The star here is condensed milk.
| Ingredients for a 2.4 pound/1 kg Cornish Hen | Quantity |
|---|---|
| All-purpose soy sauce | 2 tbsp |
| Chicken powder | ½ tbsp |
| Oyster sauce | 1 tbsp |
| Paprika powder (optional) | 1 tbsp |
| Sriracha sauce | 1 tbsp |
| Garlic powder | 1 tbsp |
| Condensed milk | 3½ tbsp |
| Cooking oil | 1½ tbsp |
Fresh milk, condensed milk, evaporated milk, and coconut milk are all commonly used by both Vietnamese and Thai chefs to tenderize meat.
In Vietnamese cuisine, condensed milk is incredibly versatile, finding its way into everything from coffee (like Vietnamese Iced Coffee and Egg Coffee) to desserts (such as Vietnamese Cassava Cake) and BBQ marinades for many dishes like Bún Thịt Nướng and Cơm Tấm.
It also works as a natural sugar substitute, adding a rich, sweet flavor to marinades.While you can swap these milks for other alternatives, just be sure to adjust the flavors to suit. Honey, for example, makes an excellent substitute for condensed milk.
Dipping Sauce
In Vietnamese cuisine, Nước Chấm refers to a wide variety of dipping sauces. When visiting Vietnam, you’ll encounter all kinds of Nước Chấm, but outside the country, it’s often synonymous with the iconic sweet and tangy fish sauce.
When it comes to Gà Nướng, locals prefer salt-based dipping sauces over fish sauce. Popular choices include zesty green chili salt (Muối Ớt Xanh), fiery red chili salt (Muối Ớt Đỏ), or the classic lime pepper salt (Muối Tiêu Chanh).
But there’s one more crowd favorite I’m excited to share with you: Muối Tiêu Sữa (Pepper, Salt & Milk Dipping Sauce). This creamy, flavorful dip is a staple with grilled chicken and a must-try pairing with Vietnamese snails (Ốc) at street food stalls across the country.
Besides, Thai Nam Jim Jaew also goes great with this grilled chicken.
Ingredients for Muối Tiêu Sữa: salt, black pepper powder, condensed milk, sugar, lime/lemon juice, fresh chili/chili flakes, kaffir/lime leaves
How to serve Gà Nướng
There are many ways to serve Vietnamese roasted chicken:
More Asian Chicken Recipes to Die For
Vietnamese 5-Spice Roasted Chicken/Cornish Hen (Gà Nướng)
Ingredients
- 1 Cornish Game Hen (2.4 pound or 1.1 kg)
- 2 tbsp all-purpose soy sauce
- 1 tbsp chicken powder
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp paprika powder (optional, just for color)
- 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 3½ tbsp condensed milk
- 1½ tbsp cooking oil
Muối Tiêu Sữa Dipping Sauce
- ½ tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper powder
- 1½ tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp condensed milk
- 2 tbsp lemon/lime juice
- ½ tbsp water
- ½ kaffir leave/lime leave
Instructions
Marinate the chicken:
- Rub the chicken with coarse salt and rinse it thoroughly. Pat it dry using kitchen papers, starting from the outside skin and moving towards the inside.
- Combine all the marinade ingredients.
- Massage the chicken with the marinade on both the outside and inside. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge to enhance the flavor.
Air fry the chicken:
- Place the chicken in the air fryer basket, air fry it at 356°F (180°C) for 15 minutes.
- Flip the chicken, brush the remaining sauce onto it, and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Since my hen is small, I cook it for only 25 minutes. Adjust the cooking time based on your chicken's size, but be cautious not to overcook. To check for readiness, use a toothpick to prick the thick part of the chicken (breast or thighs). If no red blood comes out, the chicken is ready.
- Before serving, allow the roast chicken to rest for 15 minutes.
Bake the chicken in an oven:
- Before cooking, preheat the oven to 392°F (200°C) for 10 minutes.
- Bake the chicken for 25 minutes.
- Turn the chicken over, shield any charred areas with foil, and apply the remaining sauce to the chicken.
- Continue baking the chicken at 356°F (180°C) for other 20 minutes.
- Check if the chicken is ready ot not with a toothpick.
- Let the roast chicken rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Make dipping sauce:
- Mix all ingredients together. Adjust to your taste. The dipping sauce should have a balanced flavor of sweet, sour, and salty.
