Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

Fragrant and packed with flavour, our Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken recipe is a true crowd-pleaser that brings the essence of Southeast Asian cooking straight to your kitchen. Infused with the fresh, citrusy aroma of lemongrass and balanced with savoury, slightly sweet notes, this dish is perfect for quick weeknight meals or effortless entertaining.

What makes this recipe even better is its versatility. While juicy chicken thigh is the preferred cut for maximum flavour and tenderness, you can easily swap it for chicken breast if you’re after a leaner option. Beyond chicken, the same marinade works beautifully with beef, pork, seafood, or even tofu – making it a go-to recipe for a variety of dietary preferences and occasions.

Whether grilled, pan-fried, or barbecued, this dish delivers bold, authentic flavours with minimal effort. Serve it with steamed rice, fresh noodle salad, or roll them in rice paper rolls for a complete and satisfying meal that you’ll come back to time and time again.

Ingredients

Serves 2

300-400g 2 Large chicken thigh fillets (skin-on)

2 tbsp Mrs Tran’s Kitchen Premium Fish Sauce

1 tbsp Mrs Tran’s Kitchen Light Soy Sauce

1 stalk Lemongrass, minced (white part only – see below)

2 Garlic cloves, minced

1 Shallot, minced

1 tbsp Sugar or honey

1 tbsp Lime juice

1 tbsp Oil, for cooking

Cooking Instructions

Prepare marinade:

In a bowl, add and mix well the fish sauce, soy sauce, minced lemongrass, minced garlic, minced shallot, sugar/honey and lime juice.
Add chicken and coat well with marinade.
Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably left to marinate overnight.

Cooking (Pan-Frying):

Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
Add chicken, spacing fillets apart so they’re not overcrowded.
Cook for 4-6 minutes per side (depends on thickness) or until nicely caramelised and cooked through.
Pour in remaining marinade during the last minute and let it bubble and thicken to glaze the chicken.
Once cooked remove from pan and slice chicken before serving with rice, noodles or as a filling in bao buns & rice paper rolls.

Other Cooking Methods:

Air-Fried:
Can be cooked in an air-fryer at 180°C for 13-15 minutes or until cooked through, turning over half-way.
Grill:
Grill at medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked through, turning chicken over half-way.
BBQ:
Alternatively, cook on the BBQ to add a nice smoky flavour.

Cooking Tips:

Monitor the heat, turn down if needed to prevent burning the garlic/lemongrass and charring the chicken.
To prepare the lemongrass, remove the dry outer layers of the stalk. The bottom white part of the stalk is the most fragrant and used in the marinade. Chop off the upper green parts, save these to use in soups or curries. Use a mallet or back of a large knife to bruise the thick white stalk and soften it, this makes the lemongrass easier to finely chop. Alternatively, use a food processor to finely mince lemongrass, garlic and shallots.