Description
Grilled Vietnamese Chicken brings bold Southeast Asian flavors straight to your dinner table with minimal effort and maximum deliciousness. Tender marinated chicken emerges from the grill sporting a perfect char that delivers classic Vietnamese zesty notes your family will devour.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Marinades and Seasonings:
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon lemongrass
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Accompaniments and Dipping Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1–2 cloves garlic
- 1 red chili pepper
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- Cooked rice or rice noodles
- Fresh herbs
- Shredded lettuce
- Sliced cucumbers
- Pickled carrots and daikon
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Craft the marinade by whisking ¼ cup fish sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, 1 tablespoon lemongrass, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes in a medium bowl until sugar dissolves completely.
- Drop 2 pounds of chicken thigh pieces into the marinade. Ensure each piece gets thoroughly coated. Seal the bowl and refrigerate for minimum 4 hours or ideally overnight.
- Create the dipping sauce by combining ¼ cup fish sauce, ¼ cup lime juice, ¼ cup water, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Whisk until sugar dissolves.
- Mince 1-2 cloves of garlic and 1 red chili pepper. Stir into the dipping sauce. Let the sauce rest for 15 minutes to develop deep flavors.
- Heat your grill to 400°F. Remove chicken from marinade and thread onto metal skewers, spacing pieces evenly.
- Grill chicken for 4-5 minutes per side. Ensure internal temperature reaches 165°F using a meat thermometer.
- Allow grilled chicken to rest for 3-4 minutes after cooking to retain juiciness.
- Arrange chicken over warm rice or rice noodles. Garnish with fresh mint, cilantro, and Thai basil.
- Serve with dipping sauce, lime wedges, shredded lettuce, sliced cucumbers, and pickled carrots on the side.
Notes
- Marinate chicken longer for deeper flavor, letting the marinade penetrate the meat thoroughly.
- Choose boneless, skinless chicken thighs for juicier results that won’t dry out during grilling.
- Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before grilling to prevent burning and potential flare-ups.
- For a gluten-free version, replace soy sauce with tamari and check that fish sauce is gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg