Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken
Juicy chicken thighs caramelized in a fragrant lemongrass, fish sauce, and chili marinade that creates a sticky golden glaze in the pan during cooking. This quick weeknight-friendly dish pairs beautifully with steamed jasmine rice and a simple cucumber salad.
Caramelized Vietnamese lemongrass chicken thighs with a sticky fish sauce glaze served over jasmine rice.
Nutrition per serving
Ingredients
Protein
Marinade
Instructions
Make the Lemongrass Marinade
Combine the finely minced lemongrass with fish sauce, sugar, minced garlic, sliced chilies, and 1 tablespoon of neutral oil. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Score the chicken thighs deeply through the skin down to the bone with 3 slashes on each piece to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat thoroughly.
Marinate the Chicken
Rub the marinade all over the scored chicken thighs, working it into the cuts. Place in a zip-lock bag or covered dish and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. The longer the marinating time, the deeper the lemongrass flavor will penetrate the meat and the better the final caramelization.
Sear and Cook the Chicken
Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down without crowding and cook undisturbed for 8 to 10 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and releases easily from the pan. Flip and cook for another 12 to 15 minutes until cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Glaze and Rest
In the final 2 minutes of cooking, add 2 tablespoons of water to the pan and scrape up any caramelized marinade bits from the bottom. This creates a quick glossy pan sauce that coats the chicken. Remove from heat and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving over steamed rice with sliced cucumber and extra chili.
Substitutions
Common mistakes
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