Vietnamese · main

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken reads umami 8.4, salinity 6.5 and funk & ferment 5.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Vietnamese main, about 47 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 10.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.2 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.5 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.2 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 3.6 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.4 · Salinity 6.5 · Funk & Ferment 5.9 · Citrus 5.2 · Marine & Briny 4.7 · Sourness 4.4 · Allium 3.6 · Richness 3.4 · Sweetness 3.1 · Herbaceous 2.9 · Heat 2.0 · Warm Spice 1.8 · Floral 1.4 · Bitterness 1.1 · Earthy 0.7 · Nutty 0.7

What's in it (15)

• boneless chicken — 907 g
• lemongrass — 120 g
• garlic — 12 g
• shallot — 40 g
• fish sauce — 44 g
• brown sugar — 25 g
• vegetable oil — 41 g
• soybean soy sauce — 15 g
• freshly ground black pepper — 5 g
• fresh red chile pepper — 100 g
• salt — 5 g
• limes — 130 g
• steamed jasmine rice — 710 g
• green onions — 220 g
• handful of cilantro — 15 g

Time & effort: about 47 min (12 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 130.6 kcal, 13.1 g protein, 3.1 g fat, 13.1 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the lemongrass, garlic, shallot, fish sauce, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of the oil, soy sauce, black pepper, half the sliced chile, and salt; squeeze in the juice of one lime.
2. Add the chicken thighs to the marinade and toss until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours for a deeper flavor.
3. About 15 minutes before cooking, pull the chicken from the fridge to take the chill off so it sears more evenly at room temperature.
4. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over high heat until it shimmers and just barely smokes.
5. Working in two batches so the pan stays hot, add the chicken in a single layer and sear undisturbed until deeply charred on the first side, 4-5 minutes.
6. Flip each piece and cook until charred on the second side and the thickest piece reaches 165F, 4-5 minutes more; transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
7. Let the chicken rest 5 minutes so the juices settle.
8. Divide the rice among bowls, top with the chicken and any collected pan juices.
9. Scatter with green onions, cilantro, and the remaining chile, and serve with lime wedges for squeezing.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Chops — Vietnamese
• Vietnamese-Style Grilled Lemongrass Pork — Vietnamese
• Thai Basil Turkey Lettuce Cups — Thai
• Crispy Chile-Garlic Chicken Wings — Thai
• Thai Fried Rice with Chicken (Khao Pad Gai) — Thai

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, funk & ferment mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.