This easy Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken turns out so tender with flavor seeping all the way through. Make it on any busy weeknight for an impressive main dish. Serve it with rice and veggies for a complete meal.
A lovely balance of sweet and savory flavors with a little kick, Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken is a unique and magical main dish to keep weeknight cooking a dreamy experience.
Infused with a marinade featuring lemongrass, garlic, chilies, rich fish sauce and umami soy sauce, the flavors here are undefeated!
This classic Vietnamese dish is traditionally served over rice vermicelli noodles or over fluffy jasmine rice with stir-fry vegetables.
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients list, as each one serves an important role! All of the ingredients can be found at any grocery store, or at any Asian market.
Lemongrass Chicken Ingredients:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs or Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: Pick your favorite cut of chicken.
Lemongrass Paste: Fresh lemongrass can be difficult to find in regular grocery stores, but lemongrass paste is readily available in the produce section. It comes in a tube and is often next to ginger paste or garlic paste.
Fresh Garlic: Adding a big boost of flavor, garlic is amazing in all marinades.
Lime Juice: A zing of tangy flavor, fresh lime juice adds citrus flair.
Soy Sauce: Here for the rich umami flavor and the sodium content.
Pure Maple Syrup: Brings a balance of sweetness to the tangy marinade.
Avocado Oil: Every great sauce or marinade needs a little fat to provide richness and lubrication. I love using avocado oil because it has a high smoke point, making it ideal for cooking at high temperatures.
Fish Sauce: Similar to soy sauce, fish sauce brings a rich flavor that is nearly impossible to replicate.
Recipe Customizations:
- If using fresh lemongrass, remove the hard outer stock and slice the white part into thin slices.
- Replace the fish sauce with more soy sauce if you’d like.
- Swap the pure maple syrup for brown sugar.
- Add 2 teaspoons of grated or minced fresh ginger if you have some on hand.
- Make it soy-free by using coconut aminos instead of liquid aminos.
How to Make Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken:
Mix together the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour, ideally several hours.
When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Transfer the marinated chicken to a large casserole dish in a single layer.
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Switch the oven to the high broil setting, and broil for 5 minutes, until the chicken is slightly crispy.
Insert a digital thermometer into the center of the chicken. Chicken thighs are ready when they reach an internal temperature of 170 degrees F or higher, but I cook them to 180-200 for the best texture.
Serve lemongrass chicken with your favorite side dishes and enjoy!
Note: if you’re using chicken breasts, bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes (depending on the thickness of the breasts), or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Looking for some side dishes to serve alongside this classic Vietnamese dish? Here are my top suggestions.
Serving Suggestions:
- Rice: I love pairing chicken and rice for a balanced meal. Try my Cilantro Lime Rice or my Coconut Rice for extra flair.
- Vermicelli Noodles: Rather than going with rice, use rice noodles as your starch! Simply follow the package instructions and drizzle the noodles with extra sauce.
- Salad: Light crisp vegetables always add spunk and nutrition to a meal. Try my Asian Cucumber Salad or my Crunchy Cabbage Salad with Peanut Dressing.
- Sauteed Vegetables: One of the easiest methods for cooking up a medley of fresh veggies is sautéing or stir frying them. Make my Easy Sauteed Vegetables Recipe or my Stir Fry Vegetables Recipe.
- Roasted Vegetables: My personal forever favorite for pairing with everything. These Crowd-Pleasing Roasted Vegetables are easy to prepare and so satisfying.
The next time you’re craving a culinary adventure to go along with your dinner, whip up this easy recipe!
I love the idea of preparing this recipe in bulk for meal prep, as the otherworldly flavors are worthy of putting on repeat!
Looking for more Asian-Inspired Cuisine? Check out some of my personal favorites.
More Asian-Inspired Dinner Recipes:
- Gluten-Free Chicken Chow Mein
- Korean BBQ Chicken Rice Bowls
- Easy Beef Bulgogi
- Healthy Chinese Chicken Salad
- Easy Honey Garlic Chicken
Enjoy this Vietnamese lemongrass chicken recipe with your friends and family!
Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.25 to 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 Tbsp lemongrass paste
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tsp fish sauce
Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients for the lemongrass marinade in a small bowl or a measuring cup. Transfer the raw chicken to a large zip lock bag along with the marinade. Seal the bag and move the contents around so that the chicken pieces are coated in marinade. Marinade for at least 1 hour, ideally several hours.
- When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Transfer the marinated chicken to a large casserole dish in a single layer.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Switch the oven to the high broil setting, and broil for 5 minutes, until the chicken is slightly crispy. Insert a digital thermometer into the center of the chicken. Chicken thighs are ready when they reach an internal temperature of 170 degrees F or higher, but I cook them to 180-200 for the best texture.
- Serve lemongrass chicken with your favorite side dishes and enjoy!
