Grilled Vietnamese lemongrass chicken is packed with incredible flavor! Simple to make and can be made ahead of time. Perfect for meal prep as a delicious lunch or quick dinner. This versatile recipe will be a family favorite!EASY - Very easy. Perfect to make ahead and for meal prepping. The only part that may require some flexibility and familiarity is grilling the chicken. Adjust the cook times and heat according to your stove. US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Common Measurement Conversions. Precise measurements are not required for this recipe, and slight variations may still yield great results.
4lemongrass stalkswhite part, or 4 tbsp lemongrass paste
4garlic clovesminced, or ½ tsp garlic powder
3tbsphoney45 mL
1tspfreshly ground black pepper
2tbspsoy sauce30 mL
¼tspcayenne pepperoptional
1kgboneless chicken thighsabout 8 - 9 thighs, skinless or skin on
Nuoc cham sauce
½cupwater
3tbspfish sauce
3tbspwhite sugaradjust to taste
3tbsplime juiceadjust to taste
2garlic clovesminced
1tbspfresh red chilifinely chopped, optional
To serve
Rice of your choice
Shredded iceberg lettuce
Shredded carrots
Sliced cucumbers
Cilantrooptional
Chopped peanutsoptional
Instructions
Lemongrass chicken
If you're using lemongrass stalks, finely slice the white part of the lemongrass stalk and then finely mince it. The minced lemongrass will be used in the marinade.
Mix the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl. Whisk until everything is mixed through. If you prefer, you can add about 1 - 2 tbsp of water to adjust the consistency of the marinade to your liking.
Place the chicken in a ziploc bag, or a large bowl or container. Pour the marinade in and toss the chicken pieces well to make sure all the chicken is well coated in the marinade.
Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes, OR for best results marinate in the fridge overnight (or up to 24 hours).
When ready to cook, heat a non-stick skillet with a drizzle of vegetable oil, over medium heat. You can use a cast iron skillet as well, but you may need to reduce the heat slightly because the cast iron skillet retains more heat.
OPTIONAL - When the pan is heated, pat dry the excess marinade from the chicken pieces using paper towels. This is an optional step, but helps the chicken grill and caramelize better.
Place the chicken thighs on the heated pan, skin side down. Do not overcrowd the pan, so cook in batches.
Cook the chicken for about 5 minutes per side, until the chicken is caramelized on both sides and is cooked through. Adjust the cook times depending on how fast the chicken is caramelizing, since the cook times will vary depending on the size of the chicken and your stove.
Place the cooked chicken on a plate and let it rest for a few minutes.
Slice the cooked chicken thighs, and serve with rice or noodles or a salad, with nuoc cham sauce.
Nuoc cham sauce
Make sure to use freshly squeezed lime juice to make the nuoc cham sauce.
Place all the ingredients in a bowl. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved through. Taste and adjust the flavor by adding more lime juice, honey, or water.
Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
To serve
Serve the sliced lemongrass chicken with a salad and rice or noodles, and any other additions.
Serve the nuoc cham on the side, so that it can be poured over the rice and salad.
If you make this for meal prep, either pack the salad separately, OR add sauteed vegetables instead of raw vegetables/salad. Also add the nuoc cham sauce separately, since it can become bitter when heated.
Notes
Note on cooking the chicken
In case the chicken caramelizes too quickly, and starts to burn on the outside, but the inside still remains raw :Preheat the oven to 350 F / 180 C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or foil. Place the chicken on the baking tray and let it cook in the preheated oven for about 15 - 20 minutes until cooked through.