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    Home » Recipes » Asian » Skillet Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

    Skillet Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

    Last Modified: September 10, 2021 - Published by: christieathome - Comments: 6 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Skillet Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken. Tender juicy chicken thighs marinated in a sweet and savoury lemongrass marinade with fish sauce. Aromatic, delicious and super easy to make! No grill or oven, just a skillet or non-stick pan! Fantastic for dinner, lunch, or leftovers.

    Skillet Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

    There is something so special and tasty about lemongrass chicken. The sweet and salty flavour profile of this Vietnamese meat dish always keeps me and my husband coming back for more. It became an addiction and I’m sure our local Vietnamese takeaway was very thankful for our weekly orders. Vietnamese chicken is one of my husband’s favourite ways of eating chicken. He loves it so much he could have it every single day and this is coming from someone who isn’t a huge meat eater.

    The key ingredient to this flavourful chicken dish is the lemongrass as the title suggests. There’s a wonderful distinct flavour to lemongrass that you can’t get in other aromatics thanks to it’s taste and smell. Lemongrass is a popular ingredient used in South-Asian cuisine.

    Skillet Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

    What does lemongrass taste like?

    It has a lovely citrus smell with a hint of mint. It comes in a long form of a hard stalk and the most flavour and scent comes from the white part. It’s also used in dips, meat marinades and much more in Vietnamese cuisine.

    Easy to make!

    My easy lemongrass chicken is simple to make at home. You’re simply bruising and chopping the white part of the lemongrass into finer bits. Then squeeze the juice of a lemon into a measuring cup or bowl. Next, you’ll tenderize your boneless skinless chicken thighs with the back of a knife until it’s thinner. Transfer to the chicken thighs to a medium size bowl.

    Into your measuring cup with the lemon juice, add your lemongrass, soy sauce, fish sauce, minced garlic, and brown sugar. Give it a mix and pour that goodness over your chicken to marinate for 30-60 mins in the fridge. You could get away with 30 minutes, but it just won’t be as flavourful as 60 minutes.

    Lastly, in a non-stick skillet or pan set over medium heat (this is important, not low, or high) add avocado oil. You can use any neutral oil. Swivel that oil all over your pan. Then carefully lay your chicken thighs down and fry for 4 minutes on each side until they’re browned, 8 minutes in total. Serve with some jasmine rice, cucumbers, tomatoes and enjoy your authentic Vietnamese lemongrass chicken!

    Now there are many Vietnamese lemongrass chicken recipes on the web but mine is super simple, made in a pan, doesn’t require long marinating time, and uses lemon which is an acid most of us have at home! A lot of recipes call for lime juice or rice wine vinegar.

    Skillet Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

    Tips for making lemongrass chicken in skillet

    Below are tips on cooking lemongrass chicken:

    • Use fresh chicken thighs. I know this goes without saying but honestly it makes a big difference. Sometimes when chicken isn’t fresh, you can smell it. As my husband would say, it smells “rank!” lol. Now let’s say if you are using chicken thighs that aren’t as fresh but not past expiry and you can’t bear to throw it away, soak the chicken thighs in vinegar for 10 minutes and strain the vinegar to remove that smell. Then rinse under cold water to remove the vinegar.
    • Use fresh lemongrass and only the white part. This is incredibly important as all the flavour and aroma is locked in this white part. The hard part of the lemongrass will not be used in this recipe.
    • Tenderize, tenderize, tenderize! This part is also key. You want to get that chicken thigh thin but not too thin, about ½ inch thick.
    • The longer you can marinate the more flavourful but if you’re in a time crunch, 30 minutes will suffice.
    • Before adding chicken to the pan, shake it off so the lemongrass bits fall off. You won’t want to be chewing on that.
    • When frying your chicken, make sure the pan is hot enough before you add the oil and the chicken. If you pan is just warm, the chicken will not properly brown on each side.
    • Cook on each side for 4 minutes and you’ll know when the chicken is browned in certain areas.
    Skillet Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

    FAQ

    Below are frequently asked questions about this Vietnamese lemongrass chicken recipe:

    What to serve with lemongrass chicken?

    Steamed jasmine rice, fresh lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes with a squeeze of lime juice. Or over some rice noodles! There are many ways to serve this dish but these are two popular ways.

    How can you tell if lemongrass is bad?

    The lemongrass will not look white/yellow, in fact it’ll start to look discoloured and will form mould at the base.

    How long do lemongrass stalks last?

    About 10 days or you can seal them in a reusable container or bag and freeze them for a few months.

    Should lemongrass be refrigerated?

    Yes, store wrapped loosely in a damp paper towel.

    Other recipes you may like!

    If you enjoyed my lemongrass chicken thighs, you may enjoy these other Vietnamese recipes:

    VIETNAMESE GARLIC BUTTER CHICKEN WINGS
    RAINBOW FRESH ROLLS
    VEGETARIAN SPRING ROLLS

    Watch how I made it!

    For this Vietnamese recipe

    You will need the following lemongrass chicken ingredients:

    500 grams chicken thighs, boneless skinless
    4 tsp avocado oil

    Lemongrass chicken marinade:

    Juice of 1 lemon
    1 stalk lemongrass, white part only
    2 tsp garlic
    1.5 tbsp brown sugar
    ½ tbsp regular soy sauce
    1 tbsp fish sauce

    How to make Lemongrass Chicken

    1. On a chopping board, slice off the hard ends of the lemongrass reserving the white part only. Bruise it with the back of your knife. Then finely chop lemongrass.  
    2. Next tenderize the chicken thighs on both sides with the back of a knife until it’s about ½ inch thick. It’s okay if there are some areas that are less thick than ½ inch.
    3. In a bowl or measuring cup, squeeze lemon juice. Add brown sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, minced garlic, and finely chopped lemongrass. Mix.
    4. Pour the marinade over the chicken thighs and mix until thighs are covered in the marinade. Store covered in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. The longer you marinate the chicken the more flavourful.
    5. Heat a non-skillet or pan set over medium heat. Once hot enough, add avocado oil. Shake the chicken thighs of any remaining lemongrass bits before laying it flat into the pan. Fry on each side for 4 minutes (8 minutes in total) until they’re browned in certain areas and the juices run clear. Enjoy!

    Give it a try!

    Well, I hope you give my Skillet Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken a try! It always excites me when you guys make my recipes and I hope this is one you try.

    Thanks for visiting my blog! If you enjoyed my Vietnamese chicken, please share it with your family and friends or on social media!

    Take a picture if you've made my Vietnamese dish and tag me on Instagram @ChristieAtHome in your feed or stories so I can share your creation in my stories with credits to you!

    Made this recipe and loved it?

    If you could leave a star rating for my Vietnamese lemongrass chicken, I would greatly appreciate it 🙂 Thanks so much!

    Take care,
    Christie

    *This post for my chicken with lemongrass contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I also earn from qualifying purchases through additional affiliate programs

    lemongrass chicken

    Easy Skillet Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

    christieathome
    Easy Skillet Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken. Tender juicy chicken thighs marinated in a sweet and savoury lemongrass marinade with fish sauce. Aromatic, delicious and super easy to make! No grill or oven, just a skillet or non-stick pan! Fantastic for dinner, lunch, or leftovers.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 8 mins
    Marinating time 30 mins
    Course dinner, lunch
    Cuisine vietnamese
    Servings 5 pieces
    Calories per serving 272 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 500 grams boneless skinless chicken thighs boneless skinless
    • 4 tsp avocado oil

    Lemongrass chicken marinade:

    • Juice of 1 lemon
    • 1 stalk lemongrass white part only
    • 2 tsp garlic minced
    • 1.5 tbsp brown sugar (for less sweet: use 1 tbsp)
    • ½ tbsp regular soy sauce not light or dark!
    • 1 tbsp fish sauce

    Instructions
     

    • On a chopping board, slice off the hard ends of the lemongrass reserving the white part only. Bruise it with the back of your knife. Then finely chop lemongrass. Set aside
    • Next tenderize the chicken thighs on both sides with the back of a knife until it’s about ½ inch thick. It’s fine if there are some areas that are less thick than ½ inch.
    • In a bowl or measuring cup, squeeze lemon juice. To the bowl, add brown sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, minced garlic, and finely chopped lemongrass. Mix.
    • Pour the marinade over the chicken thighs and mix until thighs are covered in the marinade. Store covered in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. The longer you marinate the chicken the more flavourful.
    • Heat a non-skillet or pan set over medium heat. Once hot enough, add avocado oil. Shake the chicken thighs of any remaining lemongrass bits before laying it flat into the pan. Fry on each side for 4 minutes (8 minutes in total) until they’re browned in certain areas and the juices run clear. Enjoy!
    Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!
    Copyright PolicyPlease do not copy and paste my recipes or use my photos in your own site/blog or social media. If you use my recipe for adaptation, please provide a link back to my recipe and re-write in your own words. Thank you.

    Suggested Equipment & Products

    Large Non-Stick Pan
    Cutting Board
    Santoku Knife
    glass measuring cup
    Measuring Set
    Nutrition
    Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 462mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 79IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
    Course dinner, lunch
    Cuisine vietnamese
    Keyword authentic vietnamese lemongrass chicken, chicken with lemongrass, cooking lemongrass chicken, how to make lemongrass chicken, lemongrass chicken in skillet, lemongrass chicken ingredients, lemongrass chicken marinade, lemongrass chicken recipe, lemongrass chicken thighs, vietnamese recipe, vietnamese recipe for chicken
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Katherine | Love In My Oven

      September 10, 2021 at 12:09 am

      5 stars
      Love love lemongrass chicken!! Your skillet chicken looks awesome Christie! The ingredients are so simple too!

      Reply
    2. Heidi | The Frugal Girls

      September 13, 2021 at 4:55 pm

      5 stars
      I found your suggestions for prepping the lemongrass really helpful. I have never worked with it before, but your tips make it sound so easy!

      Reply
    3. Rosemary

      October 06, 2021 at 4:36 pm

      5 stars
      oh now this is exactly what I was looking for! Chicken and lemongrass! What could I use instead of brown sugar?

      Reply
      • Megan

        January 29, 2023 at 11:41 am

        Palm sugar, coconut sugar, or honey

        Reply
    4. Mary

      March 01, 2022 at 10:11 am

      5 stars
      Thos is a wonderful recipe! I added a bit of red pepper flakes and used chicken breast as I didn't have the other. Will be making this again! Thanks for sharing this with us!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        March 01, 2022 at 3:29 pm

        Thank you so much Mary! I'm so glad you enjoyed my recipe. Have a lovely day! 🙂

        Reply

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    Christie

    Christie is an Asian Recipe Blogger sharing delicious recipes that you can make at home! Her goal is to make Asian cooking approachable and less intimidating. With a social media following of over 500k, she has been featured on Buzz Feed Tasty, Food52, The Kitchn and more! Christie's recipes have been made over and over again by her loyal readers.

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