Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken is one of my favorite meals of all time, especially when served with rice noodles, fresh herbs, fresh vegetables, and a Vietnamese dipping sauce (Nuoc Cham).
This chicken is bursting with flavor from the lemongrass, garlic, soy sauce, and fish sauce. When you add this Vietnamese lemongrass chicken to a bowl of rice noodles, fresh herbs, and vegetables, it is easily a meal that you will come back to over and over again.
Whether you’re already a fan of Vietnamese cuisine or just diving in, this is one of those must-try Vietnamese lemongrass chicken recipes that’s bursting with flavor.
What is Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken?
Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken is a classic dish that highlights the bold and vibrant flavors typical of Vietnamese cooking—savory, sweet, tangy, and aromatic all at once.
This recipe uses tender chicken thighs marinated in lemongrass, garlic, soy sauce, and fish sauce, then cooked to perfection. It’s often served with rice or noodles, fresh veggies, and a side of nuoc cham, a flavorful dipping sauce that pulls the whole dish together.
Why You’ll Love Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken
- Super Flavorful Marinade: The lemongrass and fish sauce combo packs a punch and makes this chicken anything but boring.
- Quick Cooking Options: You can air fry it, oven-bake it, or even pan-fry it—whatever suits your kitchen setup.
- Versatile Serving Ideas: Serve it with rice noodles, a fried egg, a salad, or over jasmine rice—endless options.
- Meal Prep Friendly: The marinade works wonders overnight, so you can prep ahead and cook the next day in a flash.
If you like this easy chicken recipe, then you will love my Honey Butter Chicken and Gochujang Chicken Thighs recipes!
Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs: Juicy and flavorful, these are perfect for soaking up the marinade.
- Garlic: Brings deep savory flavor to the marinade.
- Minced Lemongrass: This fragrant herb is the heart of Vietnamese lemongrass chicken.
- Fish Sauce: Adds umami depth and that classic Vietnamese flavor.
- Soy Sauce: Helps balance saltiness and adds richness.
- Dark Soy Sauce: Deepens the color and adds a hint of molasses flavor.
- Brown Sugar: Gives the chicken a caramelized edge and balances the saltiness.
- Lime Juice: Brings brightness and a tangy finish.
- Water: Dilutes the nuoc cham so it’s not too intense.
- Sugar Sweetens the dipping sauce to balance out the fish sauce.
- Rice Wine Vinegar: Adds acidity and extra tang to the nuoc cham.
- Thai Chili: Brings heat to the dipping sauce—make sure to adjust to your spice level!
- Garlic: Adds extra flavor and punch.
Customizations
- Swap the Protein: You can sub chicken thighs with chicken breast, tofu, pork, or even shrimp—just adjust the cooking time.
- Adjust the Heat: Add more Thai chilis to the dipping sauce or keep it mild if spice isn’t your thing.
- No Lemongrass? Try lemongrass paste (found in tubes at many grocery stores) or a combination of lemon zest and lemon juice if fresh lemongrass is hard to find.
How to Make Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken
Marinate the Chicken
In a large bowl, mix chicken thighs with garlic, minced lemongrass, fish sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice.
Let it marinate for at least 15 minutes, but ideally a few hours or overnight for the best flavor.
Air Fry the Chicken
Preheat your air fryer to 425°F (218°C). Add the marinated chicken thighs to the basket in a single layer (cook in batches if needed).
Air fry for 11–13 minutes or until browned and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
Make the Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce
While the chicken is cooking, combine fish sauce, water, sugar, lime juice, rice vinegar, minced Thai chili, and minced garlic in a bowl. Stir well to dissolve the sugar and set aside.
This sauce is vibrant and stores well in the fridge for up to a month.
Slice and Serve
Once cooked, let the chicken rest for a couple of minutes, then slice into strips.
Serve with rice noodles, fresh veggies, fried egg, and a generous drizzle of dipping sauce.
Alternate Cooking Methods
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake the chicken at 400°F for 25–30 minutes or pan-fry it for about 4–6 minutes per side until fully cooked.
Storage
This Vietnamese lemongrass chicken is best eaten fresh, but leftovers store well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Tips
- Marinate Overnight for Maximum Flavor: The longer it sits, the better it tastes—let the flavors soak in overnight for the best results.
- Save the Sauce: The nuoc cham is so good, you can save any extra to use with spring rolls, grilled meats, or even salad dressing for the next meal.
Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken (Air Fryer or Oven)
Equipment
Ingredients
Lemongrass Chicken
- 1.5 pounds chicken thighs boneless and skinless
- 5 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoon minced lemongrass
- 3 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 lime juiced
Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham)
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- ⅓ cup water
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 small Thai chili minced
- 1 garlic clove minced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add chicken thighs, garlic, lemongrass, fish sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice. Marinate for 15 mins up to overnight preferred.
- Preheat air fryer to 425F (218C) for a few mins. Add chicken thighs to the basket (don’t overcrowd and cook in batches as needed) and air fry for 11-13 mins until browned and cooked through (internal temperature should be at least 165F [74C]).
- While the chicken is cooking, make the dipping sauce by adding fish sauce, water, sugar, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, minced Thai chili, and minced garlic in a bowl or jar. Stir well to combine and set aside. You can store the extra sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.
- Carefully remove the chicken from the air fryer and cut into strips. Serve with rice noodles, salad, cucumber, fried eggs, and dipping sauce.
Notes
- If you don't have an air fryer, you can pan-fry the chicken on each side for 4-6 mins or bake them in the oven at 400F for 25-30 mins. Make sure the internal temperature reaches 165F.
- You can store extra sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.
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