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lemongrass chicken and rice on a white tray
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5 from 1 vote

Grilled Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken Recipe

Lemongrass chicken is one of the most popular Vietnamese dishes because it’s packed with tangy citrus and savory garlic, and is easily added to rice bowls, noodles dishes, and more.
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Cook Time12 minutes
Marinade Time1 day
Total Time1 day 12 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese
Keyword: Chicken Recipe, easy dinner, grilled chicken
Servings: 4
Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
Cost: $10.00

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowls
  • Grill or Sheet Pan

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup cooking oil (any type will work, but I use avocado or grapeseed oil for high heat cooking)
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce or Tamari
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
  • 2 teaspoons grated ginger
  • 3 stalks lemongrass, finely grated
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 ½ pounds total)
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • lime, sliced into wedges

Instructions

  • To make the marinade / glaze, combine the oil, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and salt. (Note: if you prefer to skip grating the garlic, ginger, and lemongrass, you can also just combine all of the ingredients in a blender or use a hand blender to blend until smooth.)
  • Divide the marinade in half, reserving one half to use as a glaze at the end of cooking.
  • In a small baking dish, combine the chicken with half of the marinade, turning to fully coat the chicken on all sides. Marinate the chicken, refrigerated, for 24 hours. (Note: You will get the most flavor if marinated for 24 hours, but even 4 to 5 hours will build flavor if that’s all the time you have.)
  • When you’re ready to cook, preheat the grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates.
  • To make the glaze, whisk the reserved half of the mariade with honey.
  • Grill the chicken on both sides until golden on the outside and no longer pink in the center, 5 to 7 minutes per side. (Use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature. The chicken is done when it registers 165°F.)
  • In the last few minutes of cooking, brush the chicken liberally on all sides with the glaze.
  • Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Lemongrass - Use just the lower portion of the lemongrass stalk (it should be pale purple in the center). Peel off and discard the tough outer stalks. For the best results, use fresh lemongrass and grate it using a microplane. If you can’t find fresh lemongrass, you can also use lemongrass paste, often found in the refrigerated / produce section. 
Oven Instructions: If you prefer to cook the chicken in the oven, preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with foil (this will make clean-up easy) and spray it lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Remove the chicken from the marinade and spread it out in a single layer on the prepared pan (discard any leftover marinade). Bake until an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken registers 165°F, 25 to 30 minutes.
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 1590mg | Potassium: 512mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 42IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg