REGIONAL DISHES

NORTHERN VIETNAM

HANOI

Phở | Beef rice noodle soup

Bún chả | Rice vermicelli with grilled pork

Bánh cuốn | Steamed rice rolls filled with pork

SAPA

Xôi ngũ sắc | Five-colour sticky rice

HA LONG BAY

Xôi trắng chả mực | White sticky rice with squid cakes

Bún bề bề | Rice vermicelli with mantis shrimp

NINH BINH – HALONG BAY ON LAND

Cua đồng rang lá lốt | Stir-fried rice-field crabs with lolot leaves

MAI CHAU

Chả cuốn lá bưởi | Grilled pork wrapped in pomelo leaves

MOC CHAU

Cá nướng Pa Pỉnh Tộp | Pa Pỉnh Tộp-style grilled stream fish

DIEN BIEN PHU

Thịt heo xay hấp lá chuối | Minced pork steamed in a banana leaf

Gà nướng Mắc Khén | Grilled chicken with Mắc Khén pepper

CENTRAL VIETNAM

PHONG NHA / QUANG BINH

Gỏi xoài khô mực | Green mango salad with dried squid

Nghêu xào thơm | Stir-fried clams with pineapple

QUANG TRI

Xà lách xoong trộn thịt bò | Watercress salad with beef

HUE

Bánh ram ít | Crispy and chewy sticky rice bites

Bánh bèo | Small steamed rice cakes with shrimp

Bánh khoái | Hue-style crispy pancake

DA NANG

Bánh tráng cuốn thịt heo | Rice paper rolls with pork

HOI AN

Cơm gà | Chicken rice

Cao lầu | Hoi An-style noodles with pork and herbs

SOUTHERN VIETNAM

NHA TRANG

Bánh xèo mực | Crispy Vietnamese pancake with squid

PHAN THIET – MUI NE

Bánh mì xíu mại | Vietnamese baguette with pork meatballs

HO CHI MINH CITY

Cơm tấm | Vietnamese broken rice

MEKONG DELTA

Hủ tiếu Mỹ Tho | My Tho-style rice noodle soup

Nem nướng | Grilled pork skewers

Bánh xèo | Crispy Vietnamese pancakes

PHU QUOC

Gỏi cá trích | Vietnamese herring salad

Bánh canh ghẹ | Thick noodle soup with crab

CENTRAL HIGHLANDS

DA LAT

Gà nướng sốt tiêu xanh | Grilled chicken with green pepper sauce

Sữa đậu nành | Soy milk

BUON MA THUOT

Gà nướng Buôn Đôn | Buon Don-style grilled chicken

GÀ NƯỚNG SỐT TIÊU XANH | Grilled chicken with green pepper sauce

Grilled chicken with green pepper sauce is a flavourful dish that is especially popular in Đà Lạt.

Prepared in a style inspired by the cuisine of northwestern Vietnam, the chicken is grilled until the skin becomes nicely golden, while the meat remains firm and tender.

It is then coated with a fragrant green pepper sauce and served with various accompaniments such as corn, potatoes and carrots.

The result is a generous and comforting dish, especially enjoyable in the cool climate of Đà Lạt.

(Photo: Archive)

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken (about 1.5 kg)
  • 100 g fresh green peppercorns
  • 100 g shallots
  • 50 g garlic
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon nước mắm
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper

Fresh green peppercorns (Photo: Archive)

Preparing the Ingredients

Clean the chicken thoroughly, remove the giblets, then rinse it in lightly salted water.

Using a knife, make a few shallow cuts in the thickest parts of the meat so that the marinade can penetrate more effectively.

Gently rinse the fresh green peppercorns under clean water, then drain thoroughly and pat dry with absorbent paper.

Peel the shallots and garlic, then finely chop them so that they blend easily into the marinade and flavour the chicken evenly.

Marinating the Chicken with Green Peppercorns

In a large bowl, combine the fresh green peppercorns, chopped shallots and garlic, oil, honey, oyster sauce, nuoc mam, salt and ground pepper until you obtain a smooth and fragrant marinade.

Add the chicken, then coat it thoroughly with the marinade, both inside and out. Gently massage the meat so that the flavours penetrate well into the cuts made earlier.

Cover and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. For a more pronounced flavour, you can leave it to marinate overnight.

Green pepper chicken marinade
(Photo: Archive)

Roasting the Chicken with Green Peppercorns

Preheat the oven to 200°C for about 10 minutes.

Place the chicken on a baking tray lined with aluminium foil or baking paper, then put it in the oven.

Roast for about 40 to 50 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken and the power of your oven.

During cooking, brush the chicken regularly with a little of the marinade to keep the meat moist and help the skin turn nicely golden.

To check that it is cooked, pierce the thickest part of the thigh: the juices should run clear, with no pink colour. If you are using a meat thermometer, the internal temperature should reach about 74°C.

Once the chicken is golden and cooked through, remove it from the oven and leave it to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before carving.

Serve hot with the green pepper sauce and the accompaniments of your choice.

Grilled chicken with green pepper sauce
(Photo: Archive)

Serving and Enjoying

Arrange the roasted chicken with green peppercorns on a serving plate, then add a few fresh herbs, tomatoes and cucumber for extra freshness and colour.

Serve the chicken piping hot, with its golden, slightly crisp skin, and drizzle with a little of the fragrant green pepper cooking juices.

It can be enjoyed with crispy bread or sticky rice. The bread pairs nicely with the tender chicken and the slightly spicy flavour of the green peppercorns, while the sticky rice adds a soft, chewy texture that complements the richness of the dish perfectly.

One small note, Giao: since tomatoes, cucumber, fresh herbs, bread and sticky rice were not included in the original ingredient list, it would be more consistent to add:

For serving: a few fresh herbs, tomatoes, cucumber, bread or sticky rice, according to your preference.

Enjoy your meal!