There's nothing quite like homemade Gà Rô Ti / Vietnamese Roasted Chicken. While restaurant versions are satisfying, making it at home lets you control the ingredients, adjust the flavors to your preference, and enjoy it fresh whenever the craving hits.
Gà rô ti is Vietnamese comfort food at its most satisfying — chicken with lacquered, caramelized skin that's simultaneously salty, sweet, and aromatic from five-spice powder. The fish sauce in the marinade doesn't make it taste fishy; instead, it deepens the savory umami while the honey creates a glossy, sticky glaze that's almost candylike. Each bite delivers a perfect balance of savory, sweet, and spice, with the five-spice adding a warm, complex undertone of star anise and cinnamon.
Ingredients
- For the marinade:
- 2 lbs (900g) bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks (or a 3-4 lb whole chicken, spatchcocked)
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 shallots, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- For the glaze (optional):
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- For serving:
- Steamed jasmine rice
- Cucumber slices
- Pickled carrots and daikon (đồ chua)
- Fresh herbs (cilantro, mint)
- Sliced chili and lime wedges
Instructions
Prepare the chicken
Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. If using a whole chicken, spatchcock it by removing the backbone and flattening. Score the skin side of each piece 2-3 times to help the marinade penetrate.
Make the marinade
In a bowl, combine fish sauce, honey, soy sauce, oyster sauce, five-spice powder, pepper, minced garlic, minced shallots, and oil. Whisk until well combined.
Marinate the chicken
Place chicken in a large bowl or zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over and massage into the chicken, making sure every surface is coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours (overnight for best results).
Preheat the oven
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Lightly oil the rack.
Roast the chicken
Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off. Place skin-side up on the wire rack. Roast 25 minutes.
Baste and continue
In a small bowl, mix the glaze ingredients. Brush the glaze over the chicken. Continue roasting 15-20 minutes more, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and the skin is deep golden brown and caramelized.
Rest and serve
Let the chicken rest 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with steamed rice, cucumber slices, pickled vegetables, and fresh herbs.
Our Tips
Gà rô ti (also spelled gà roti or gà rô-ti) is a Vietnamese adaptation of the French "rôti" (roasted) chicken, and it's a perfect example of how Vietnamese cuisine adopted and transformed a French technique. While the French version is simple — butter, herbs, and salt — the Vietnamese version is a flavor bomb of fish sauce, honey, five-spice, and garlic. It's a staple of Vietnamese home cooking and a popular item at Vietnamese delis and cơm bình dân (home-style rice) restaurants.
The key to great gà rô ti is the marinade time. Two hours is the minimum, but overnight is ideal — the fish sauce and salt penetrate the meat, seasoning it all the way to the bone. The five-spice powder is what gives the dish its distinctive Vietnamese character; don't skip it. If you don't have five-spice, you can make a quick substitute with equal parts ground star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, and Szechuan pepper.
For the crispiest skin, pat the chicken very dry before marinating, and use a wire rack during roasting so the heat circulates underneath. The glaze in the last 15 minutes is what creates that restaurant-quality lacquered finish.