Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken (Printable)
Tender chicken marinated in fresh lemongrass, garlic, and spices, stir-fried to golden perfection with fragrant onions.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
→ Marinade
02 - 3 stalks fresh lemongrass, white part finely minced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 shallots, minced
05 - 1 red chili, finely sliced
06 - 2 tbsp fish sauce
07 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
08 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
09 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil
10 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
→ For Cooking
11 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
12 - 1 small onion, thinly sliced
13 - 2 spring onions, sliced for garnish
→ To Serve
14 - Steamed jasmine rice
15 - Fresh cucumber slices
16 - Lime wedges
# How-To Steps:
01 - Combine chicken with lemongrass, garlic, shallots, chili, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, and black pepper in a large bowl. Toss thoroughly to coat evenly. Cover and marinate for at least 20 minutes, or refrigerate up to 4 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
02 - Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add sliced onion and sauté until fragrant and translucent, approximately 2 minutes.
03 - Add marinated chicken to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until chicken develops a golden brown exterior and is cooked through, about 8–10 minutes.
04 - Taste the dish and adjust seasoning with additional fish sauce or pepper if needed. Remove from heat.
05 - Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with spring onions. Serve hot alongside steamed jasmine rice, fresh cucumber slices, and lime wedges.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The marinade creates layers of flavor that develop beautifully even with just 20 minutes of prep time
- Its one of those dishes that makes you look like a seasoned cook while being surprisingly straightforward
02 -
- Dont crowd the pan or your chicken will steam instead of sear, leaving you with gray, sad meat
- Lemongrass can be tough if not minced finely, so take your time or use a food processor
03 -
- If you cant find fresh lemongrass, frozen works surprisingly well, just thaw and mince while still slightly firm
- Leftovers reheat beautifully in a hot skillet with a splash of water to loosen everything up