Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken Recipe

Why You’ll Love This this Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

This Vietnamese lemongrass chicken brings together fragrant herbs, bold spices, and tender chicken in a way that’ll make your kitchen smell absolutely incredible.

The homemade chile paste might seem like extra work, but trust me, it’s the secret weapon that transforms ordinary chicken into something restaurant-worthy, plus you’ll have leftovers to jazz up other dishes.

With its perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors, this recipe delivers all the complex tastes of Vietnamese cuisine without requiring a trip to specialty stores or mastering complicated techniques.

Ingredients List

Getting your ingredients together for this Vietnamese lemongrass chicken is like assembling a flavor orchestra, where each component plays its part in creating something truly spectacular.

For the Chile Paste:

• 1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon annatto seeds
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shallot
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup finely minced garlic (about 8 cloves)
• 1/4 cup red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup ground bean paste
• 2 tablespoons rice wine
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce

For the Lemongrass Chicken:

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons chicken stock or water
• 1 pinch sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken (breast or thigh meat, or mix of both)
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup finely minced lemongrass
• 1 red or green jalapeño chile, stemmed and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons rice wine
• 1 tablespoon roasted chili paste
• 2 scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped roasted peanuts for garnish

Health Considerations:

• This recipe packs plenty of anti-inflammatory benefits from garlic, lemongrass, and chili peppers
• Using chicken thighs instead of just breast meat adds healthy fats and keeps the dish more satisfying
• The fish sauce and soy sauce do add sodium, so you might want to go easy on additional salt
• Fresh herbs and aromatics provide antioxidants without adding calories
• Olive oil provides heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, though the recipe does use a fair amount

Step by Step Directions

This Vietnamese lemongrass chicken recipe requires making a flavorful chile paste first, then quickly stir-frying the chicken with aromatic vegetables and herbs. A quality electric spice grinder is essential for properly grinding the Szechuan peppercorns and annatto seeds to achieve the right texture for your chile paste.

Making the Chile Paste:

• Combine Szechuan peppercorns and annatto seeds in a spice grinder and grind coarsely, then set aside.
• Heat shallots and olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat for 6 minutes until light gold.
• Add minced garlic and cook 4 minutes more until garlic and shallots are lightly browned.
• Stir in red pepper flakes and the peppercorn-annatto mixture, mixing well.
• Add rice wine, sugar, and soy sauce, cooking and stirring for 1 minute longer.
• Remove from heat and let cool completely before storing.

Preparing the Lemongrass Chicken:

• Whisk together fish sauce, chicken stock, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar dissolves, then set aside.
• Heat wok over high heat until hot and add 1 tablespoon oil.
• Add chicken pieces and cook 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally until lightly browned on both sides.
• Remove chicken from wok and set aside.
• Add remaining tablespoon of oil to wok, then add sliced red onion and cook 2 minutes until softened.
• Add chopped garlic, minced lemongrass, and sliced jalapeño, cooking for 30 seconds.
• Add rice wine to deglaze the pan, stirring to release any browned bits.
• Return chicken to wok along with fish sauce mixture, chile paste, and scallions.
• Cook 1 minute more until scallions soften and chicken is cooked through.
• Transfer to serving dish and garnish with chopped roasted peanuts before serving immediately.

Substitutions and Variations

Protein Expeditions:

• Swap chicken for beef sirloin strips, pork tenderloin, or even firm tofu if you’re feeling vegetarian energy.
• Shrimp cooks crazy fast, so watch it like a hawk if you go that route.
• Duck breast makes this feel ridiculously fancy, though your wallet might disagree.

Heat Level Negotiations:

• Too spicy for your crew? Cut the red pepper flakes in half and use a mild pepper instead of jalapeño.
• Want more fire? Double down on the chile paste or throw in some Thai bird’s eye chilies.
• Sweet tooth calling? Add an extra tablespoon of sugar to balance all that heat.

Texture Mix-Ups:

• Toss in some cashews or sliced almonds instead of peanuts for crunch.
• Bell peppers add sweetness and color if you want more vegetables in the mix.
• Baby corn and snap peas make this feel more like takeout from your favorite spot.

Additional Things to Serve With This Dish

This Vietnamese lemongrass chicken plays surprisingly well with both Asian and Western sides, so you’ve got options for days.

Rice is Your Foundation:

• Jasmine rice soaks up all those incredible flavors like a sponge, and honestly, it’s the classic choice for good reason.
• Coconut rice adds a creamy sweetness that tames the heat while making everything feel more luxurious.
• Brown rice works if you’re going the healthy route, though it won’t absorb the sauce quite as enthusiastically.

Noodle Expeditions:

• Rice vermicelli turns this into a proper Vietnamese noodle bowl, especially if you add some fresh herbs and pickled vegetables.
• Lo mein noodles make it feel more like Chinese takeout, which isn’t traditional but tastes absolutely fantastic.
• Even plain ramen noodles work in a pinch, just ditch that flavor packet.

Fresh and Crunchy Companions:

• Vietnamese spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce create a perfect fresh contrast to all that rich, spicy chicken.
• Simple cucumber salad with rice vinegar cuts through the heat and adds that cooling crunch you desperately need.
• Pickled daikon and carrot provide that tangy bite that Vietnamese cuisine does so incredibly well.

Western Crossover Hits:

• Steamed broccoli or green beans keep things simple while adding some green to your plate.
• Garlic bread might sound weird, but trust the process, it mops up sauce like nobody’s business.

Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)

Getting this Vietnamese lemongrass chicken right comes down to a few vital details that can make or break your dinner plans.

Temperature Control is Everything:

• Your wok needs to be screaming hot before you add oil, we’re talking about that sweet spot where water droplets dance and disappear instantly.
• Don’t crowd the chicken pieces or they’ll steam instead of getting that beautiful golden sear, and nobody wants sad, gray chicken.
• Keep the heat high throughout most of the cooking process, only backing off if things start smoking aggressively.

Prep Work Saves Your Sanity:

• Mince that lemongrass as finely as humanly possible, because biting into a woody chunk mid-meal is like finding a stick in your salad.
• Have everything measured and ready to go before you turn on the heat, since this dish moves fast once you start.
• Cut your chicken into uniform pieces so everything cooks evenly, though perfection isn’t required here.

Flavor Balance Adjustments:

• Taste the fish sauce mixture before adding it to the wok, you can always add more sugar if it’s too salty or more fish sauce if it needs depth.
• That chile paste packs serious heat, so start with less than you think you need and build up from there.
• Fresh garlic burns quickly at high heat, so add it right before the lemongrass to prevent bitter, charred bits.

Timing Tricks:

• The chicken should be just cooked through when you add it back to the wok, since it’ll continue cooking with the sauce.
• Those scallions only need about a minute to soften, any longer and they’ll turn to mush.

Nutritional Facts

This Vietnamese lemongrass chicken delivers a satisfying balance of protein and bold flavors while keeping calories in check.

Per Serving (serves 4):

• Calories: 285-320
• Protein: 25-28g
• Carbohydrates: 12-15g
• Fat: 16-20g
• Fiber: 2-3g
• Sodium: 980-1,200mg
• Sugar: 8-10g

Key Nutritional Highlights:

• High-quality lean protein from chicken supports muscle maintenance and keeps you feeling full.
• Lemongrass provides antioxidants and has natural anti-inflammatory properties.
• Garlic and shallots offer immune-boosting compounds and heart-healthy benefits.
• Fish sauce contributes essential amino acids and umami depth without excessive calories.
• Jalapeños contain capsaicin, which may boost metabolism and provide pain-relief benefits.
• Peanuts add healthy monounsaturated fats and vitamin E.
• Scallions provide vitamin K and folate for bone health and cellular function.

Dietary Considerations:

• Naturally gluten-free when using tamari instead of soy sauce.
• Paleo-friendly with minor modifications.
• Low in refined carbohydrates.
• High sodium content due to fish sauce and soy sauce.
• Contains peanuts (tree nut allergen).

Fun “Did You Know?”

While lemongrass might seem like a simple herb, it’s actually a grass that can grow up to six feet tall and belongs to the same family as citronella – which explains why it’s such an effective natural mosquito repellent!

I find it fascinating that this aromatic ingredient has been used in traditional medicine for centuries to treat digestive issues and reduce inflammation.

What’s even cooler is that lemongrass contains citral, the same compound found in lemon peels, giving it that distinctive citrusy fragrance.

In Vietnam, it’s considered one of the essential herbs for authentic flavor profiles.