Name: Gà đốt Ô Thum
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 145 min
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken, 1.5 kg, giblets removed and patted dry; 30 g lemongrass, finely minced; 20 g garlic, finely minced; 8 g red chili, minced; 8 lá chúc leaves, finely sliced; 20 ml fish sauce; 4 g fine salt; 6 g sugar; 2 g ground black pepper; 30 g lemongrass, bruised; 10 g garlic, lightly crushed; 6 lá chúc leaves, torn; 15 ml neutral oil; Up to 60 ml potable hot water, only if needed to prevent scorching; 4 lá chúc leaves, finely sliced; 2 g fine salt; 2 g red chili, minced, or to taste; Juice of 1 chúc fruit or lime, about 30 ml; 250 g cucumber, washed and cut into batons; 50 g fresh herbs, such as cilantro and mint, washed and dried

Wide view of a whole golden chicken in an open heavy pot over lemongrass and citrus leaves, with a dip, cucumber and a green riverside backdrop. — A wide An Giang-style table setting for Gà đốt Ô Thum.

Yield 4 servings

Cook About 75 minutes

Passive 45 minutes

Total About 2 hours 25 minutes

Calories per serving About 510 kcal

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Gà đốt Ô Thum

Gà đốt Ô Thum is associated with Ô Thum and Tri Tôn in An Giang. A whole chicken cooks in a covered, heavy pot over lemongrass and lá chúc, the fragrant local citrus leaf. The pot traps the bird’s steam and juices; a short final broil helps brown the skin.

Restaurants use different marinades, pots and fires. This indoor method keeps the covered-pot character and local aromatics while using a thermometer to judge doneness. It is a practical home version, not a claim that one recipe or origin story is universal. Lá chúc has a distinctive aroma; makrut lime leaves or a little lime zest can help if it is unavailable, but the flavor will differ.

Practical

Tips for successChoose a 1.3–1.8 kg chicken that fits breast-up in a 5–6 litre heavy pot. Remove giblets and leave the cavity empty. Refrigerate the chicken while it marinates. Keep its board, hands and juices away from the cucumber and herbs. Bruise the lemongrass for the pot bed, and keep the lid on over low heat after the initial steam-building stage. Check the thigh, wing and breast with a thermometer. Golden skin and clear juices do not replace the required temperature. Watch the chicken continuously under the broiler; the skin can darken quickly.

Ingredients

Chicken and marinade

1 whole chicken, 1.5 kg, giblets removed and patted dry
30 g lemongrass, finely minced
20 g garlic, finely minced
8 g red chili, minced
8 lá chúc leaves, finely sliced
20 ml fish sauce
4 g fine salt
6 g sugar
2 g ground black pepper

Aromatic pot bed and finish

30 g lemongrass, bruised
10 g garlic, lightly crushed
6 lá chúc leaves, torn
15 ml neutral oil
Up to 60 ml potable hot water, only if needed to prevent scorching

Citrus-salt dip and serving

4 lá chúc leaves, finely sliced
2 g fine salt
2 g red chili, minced, or to taste
Juice of 1 chúc fruit or lime, about 30 ml
250 g cucumber, washed and cut into batons
50 g fresh herbs, such as cilantro and mint, washed and dried

Method

Make the marinade. Finely mince the measured lemongrass, garlic, chili and 8 lá chúc leaves. Mix with the fish sauce, 4 g salt, sugar and black pepper into a coarse paste.
Season and chill. Rub the paste over the chicken, including inside the empty cavity and under the breast and thigh skin where accessible. Cover and refrigerate at or below 4°C / 40°F for 45 minutes. Do not stuff the bird.
Prepare the dip. Crush the remaining 4 sliced leaves with 2 g salt. Stir in the juice of one chúc fruit or lime and the remaining minced chili. Cover and refrigerate.
Build the aromatic bed. Bruise the remaining lemongrass. Arrange it in a heavy 5–6 litre pot with the crushed garlic and 6 torn leaves. Set the chicken breast-up on top and brush its skin with 15 ml oil. Do not add water at first. If the base starts scorching before the chicken releases juices, pour up to 60 ml hot water around the edge.
Cook covered. Cover tightly. Heat over medium for 8–10 minutes to build steam, then reduce to low. Cook for about 45–55 minutes more, keeping a gentle sizzle and avoiding smoke. Begin checking at 50 minutes total; depending on the bird and burner, the covered cook may take up to about 70 minutes.
Check, rest and brown. Insert an instant-read thermometer away from bone at the innermost thigh, innermost wing and thickest breast. Each spot must reach 74°C / 165°F. If any is cooler, cover and cook another 5–10 minutes, then recheck. Transfer the chicken to a tray and rest 10 minutes. For crisp skin, broil/grill on high for 3–5 minutes, watching continuously.
Serve. Carve or pull the chicken and serve with the citrus-salt dip, cucumber and herbs. Keep hot food at or above 60°C / 140°F, or refrigerate leftovers promptly as described below.

Practical

Practical guidance

The exact covered cooking time depends on the chicken, pot and burner, so use temperature rather than the clock to decide when it is done. Keep raw-chicken marinade away from ready-to-eat vegetables; discard any marinade that touched raw poultry. Cooked rice is a good optional side but is not included in the yield or nutrition.

Troubleshooting

The pot smokes or smells scorched: Lower the heat. If juices have not formed, add up to 60 ml hot water around the edge. The chicken is below temperature: Cover and continue in 5–10 minute increments, checking all three locations again. The skin is pale: Pat it dry before pot cooking and use the brief broiler finish, watching closely. You cannot find lá chúc: Use makrut lime leaves or a little lime zest; expect a different, less locally specific aroma.

Food safety

Keep raw chicken refrigerated at or below 4°C / 40°F, including during the 45-minute marinade. Wash hands, tools and surfaces after handling raw poultry. Cook until the innermost thigh, innermost wing and thickest breast each reach 74°C / 165°F, avoiding bone. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the room is above 32°C / 90°F. Store at or below 4°C / 40°F for up to 3 days and reheat to 74°C / 165°F.

FAQ

Can I use a smaller chicken? Yes, but it may cook sooner; begin temperature checks early and use the same three probe points. Can I cook it without a Dutch oven? A heavy, tightly covered, food-safe clay pot works if it is suitable for stovetop heat. Do not use a decorative pot. Can I marinate overnight? Yes. Keep it covered and refrigerated, and cook it within a safe refrigerated period. Can I use the dip as a marinade? No. Keep the serving dip separate from raw chicken and its marinade.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Serving sizeOne quarter of the chicken with a share of skin and retained marinade, plus cucumber, herbs and dip
Calories510 kcal
Carbohydrate5 g
Protein53 g
Fat30 g
Fibre1 g
Sodium1,000 mg

Allergens

Contains fish from the fish sauce. Check product labels for additional allergens or cross-contact information.

A final note

Keep the chicken cold while it marinates, and leave its cavity empty.
Let the thermometer—not skin color or a fixed cooking time—confirm doneness.

Gà đốt Ô Thum

Practical

Ingredients

Chicken and marinade

Aromatic pot bed and finish

Citrus-salt dip and serving

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Troubleshooting

Food safety

FAQ

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Allergens

A final note

Vietnamese National Dishes

Mắt cá ngừ đại dương tiềm thuốc bắc

Cơm lam

Lợn bản nướng mắc khén