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Vietnamese Grilled Lemongrass Chicken Vermicelli Bowls (Bun Ga Nuong)
Vietnamese Grilled Lemongrass Chicken Vermicelli Bowls (Bun Ga Nuong) reads umami 6.6, salinity 6.2 and funk & ferment 5.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Vietnamese main, about 52 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 8.3 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 3.4 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 6.9 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 1.4 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 3.7 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 5.1 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Umami 6.6 · Salinity 6.2 · Funk & Ferment 5.8 · Citrus 5.4 · Sourness 5.1 · Marine & Briny 4.7 · Herbaceous 4.5 · Allium 3.5 · Sweetness 3.2 · Nutty 2.9 · Richness 2.6 · Heat 1.8 · Floral 1.6 · Warm Spice 1.4 · Earthy 1.2 · Bitterness 0.9 · Fruity 0.8 · Smoke 0.6
What's in it (15)
- boneless chicken — 680 g
- lemongrass — 120 g
- garlic — 24 g
- fish sauce — 59 g
- light-brown sugar — 38 g
- vegetable oil — 27 g
- lime juice — 79 g
- fresh red chile pepper — 100 g
- vermicelli rice noodles — 227 g
- salt — 15 g
- english cucumber — 200 g
- carrots — 473 g
- mint — 59 g
- cilantro leaves — 59 g
- spanish style peanuts — 59 g
Time & effort: about 52 min (16 min active) · effort: involved
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 118.6 kcal, 10.8 g protein, 2.4 g fat, 13.6 g carbs
Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (8 steps)
- Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and pound between two sheets of plastic wrap to an even 1/2-inch thickness; this keeps the chicken juicy and lets it cook fast and evenly on the grill.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the minced lemongrass, 5 cloves of the garlic, 1 tablespoon of the fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of the oil.
- Add the chicken, turn to coat completely, cover, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
- While the chicken marinates, whisk the lime juice, remaining 3 tablespoons fish sauce, remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar, remaining 3 cloves minced garlic, sliced chile, and 3 tablespoons warm water in a small bowl until the sugar fully dissolves; set the nuoc cham aside at room temperature.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and stir in the kosher salt. Cook the rice vermicelli according to package directions until just tender, 3-4 minutes, then drain and rinse immediately under cold running water until fully cooled; drain well and set aside.
- Julienne the cucumber and shred the carrots if not already shredded; arrange them with the torn mint, chopped cilantro, and chopped peanuts in separate piles for assembly.
- Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high (about 450°F) and brush the grates with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Lift the chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off, and grill until deeply charred and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, 5-6 minutes per side.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, rest 5 minutes, then slice against the grain into thin strips. Divide the cooled noodles among four bowls, top with the sliced chicken, cucumber, carrots, mint, and cilantro, scatter with peanuts, and spoon the nuoc cham generously over each bowl just before serving.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Vietnamese Turmeric Fish with Dill (Cha Ca) — Vietnamese
- Vietnamese-Style Grilled Lemongrass Pork — Vietnamese
- Goi Ga (Chicken Salad) — Vietnamese
- Fish Sauce Caramel Pork Pasta — Fusion
- Bun Bo Nam Bo (Southern Beef Noodle Salad) — Vietnamese
Keep reading: what umami, salinity, funk & ferment mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.