Vietnamese chicken floss (Chabonguga)

Chabong is a popular snack with Vietnamese kids, except for mine. They don’t seem to like furry textures.

So I like to make this at home. You can control the texture by keeping the strands short, without making the texture very fluff. That way, it won’t get caught in your throat.

Other than that, it has the same great taste you find at Vietnamese delis and grocery stores.

What is Chabonga?

Chabonguga is a dried, shredded Vietnamese chicken, often called chicken floss. Its texture is light, soft, fluffy, fibrous, and is achieved by rubbing cooked chicken into a bamboo basket traditionally.

“Cha” means rubbing. “bông” describes a cotton-like texture, and “gà” means chicken.

It is generally enjoyed as a topping for steamed rice, sticky rice, or eridge, as a filling for Vietnamese sandwiches (Bang Mi) or simply as a snack.

How is Chabonga made?

It usually starts with gentle poached chicken breasts, then hand-covered chicken breasts, seasoned and seasoned, then dried in a pot over low heat.

To get the fluffy texture of the signature, rub the chicken together by hand. For faster methods, use a stand mixer whip or paddle attachment. A hand mixer or egg beater also works well.

What you need to make a chabonga

To make chabonga, collect the following ingredients:

Boneless skinless chicken breast or tenderloin: I want a piece with little or no fat. Fish sauce and salt: adds umami and classic Vietnamese flavour. You can exchange it for soy sauce for more Chinese versions. I also season it to taste with a little salt at the end. Sugar: Balances the saltiness. It uses granulated sugar. Shallots: When cooked, adds a aroma and subtle sweetness. Chicken Bouillon Powder (optional but recommended): Increase the flavor and make it even tastier. Mushroom seasonings can be sub-submitted with powder or pinched MSG. Ground black pepper: Apply mild heat. Neutral oil: To toast and dry chicken.

How to make chicken floss

Step 1: Pouch chicken

Trim excess fat from the chicken if necessary. Place the chicken in a pan and add enough water to cover. Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until just finished. This takes about 8-10 minutes.

Step 2: Shredded and Season Chicken

Transfer the chicken into a bowl of stand mixture using either a paddle or a whisk. Add fish sauce, chicken bouillon powder, sugar and ground black pepper. Mix until the chicken is shredded and seasonings are evenly mixed.

Instead, you can shred them by hand when the chicken is cool enough to handle. I’ll fluff it later, so I don’t need the floss texture yet.

Step 3: Dried chicken

Transfer seasoned shredded chicken to a wide, non-stick frying pan or wok. Add the oil and shallots and toast until most of the moisture from the shallots is cooked (about 1 minute).

Cook over medium to low heat with stirring to prevent burning. This step can take about 15 minutes. Continue stirring until the chicken is completely dry and lightly browned.

Step 4: Make a floss

Return the chicken to the mixer. Mix until fluffy texture is obtained (medium speed for about 5 minutes).

Step 5: Enjoy

Enjoy as a delicious, delicious snack, rice, ridge, or sticky rice topping, or as a filling for bunmi.

Storage and reheat

Allow the chicken floss to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Keep in the freezer for up to 1 month, or 8-10 months. No reheating is required. Just bring it to room temperature.

Did you know…

You can make chabon with the remaining meat. It’s a great way to preserve food.

I sometimes use the remaining Costco Rotisserie chicken (roasted meat, really) and Vietnamese steamed inger chicken.

Since it is already seasoned, all you have to do is shred it thinly, dry it in a frying pan, then distort it with a blender.

boom. You get a simple snack or topping that may last forever.