Description
Sizzling Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken delivers bold Southeast Asian flavors that dance across your palate with zesty marinade magic. Fragrant herbs and caramelized edges create an irresistible dish you’ll want to savor again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 8 boneless chicken thighs
Marinade Ingredients:
- 1 stalk lemongrass (approximately 3.5 tablespoons)
- 4 cloves garlic (approximately 2 tablespoons)
- 1 shallot (approximately 2 tablespoons)
- 1.5 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1.5 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (approximately 1 lime)
- 6 tablespoons hot water
- 2.3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
Optional Garnish:
- Grated carrots
- 1 birds eye chili pepper
Instructions
- Craft a vibrant marinade by meticulously mincing lemongrass, garlic, and shallots into fine fragments. Combine with fish sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and water in a mixing vessel.
- Submerge chicken thighs in the aromatic marinade, allowing flavors to penetrate for 30 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate overnight for deeper infusion.
- Preheat grill to medium heat, ensuring grates are lightly oiled to prevent sticking. Remove excess marinade from chicken pieces.
- Position chicken skin-side down on the grill, creating those coveted caramelized edges. Cook for 12-15 minutes, rotating periodically to guarantee uniform browning and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- While chicken sizzles, whisk together lime juice, hot water, sugar, and fish sauce for the classic nuoc cham dipping sauce. Add optional ingredients for enhanced complexity.
- Once grilled, transfer chicken to a resting board, allowing juices to redistribute for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Plate alongside vermicelli noodles or steamed rice, accompanied by fresh vegetables and the prepared nuoc cham sauce, creating a harmonious Vietnamese-inspired feast.
Notes
- Marinate chicken longer for deeper, more intense flavor profiles that penetrate every fiber of the meat.
- Experiment with different cooking methods like oven-roasting or air frying if outdoor grilling isn’t possible, maintaining the same marinade technique.
- Choose bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for maximum juiciness and richer taste, which helps prevent drying out during high-heat cooking.
- Customize the Nuoc Cham sauce by adjusting spice levels with more chili or reducing sugar for a tangier, lighter dipping experience that complements the grilled chicken.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 267 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 1150 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg