Grilled Vietnamese Lemongrass Cilantro Chicken is delicious chopped into salads, made into a sandwich or served over rice as a main course.
Grilled food is popular in Southeast Asia, which includes, Thai food, Vietnamese, and Cambodian among others.
The fragrant flavors are a nice change from the typical American barbecue.
The chicken thigh marinade is deliciously yummy. Very flavorful, with lemongrass, cilantro and shallots.
Lemongrass can be found at Asian grocers, but can also be found in the fresh fruit and vegetable herb section of supermarkets.
Bruising the lemongrass is an essential step that helps release its flavor into the marinade.
It’s a misconception that lemongrass must taste like a lemon.
Lemongrass is an aromatic herb with notes of citrus and ginger. It’s bold, bright, and spicy in its raw form. The harsh tones though soften when cooked, yielding a complex, lemony floral flavor.
Lemongrass Cilantro Chicken
4 chicken thighs, deboned, skinless
Marinade
2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, cut into 1-inch pieces, pounded and bruised
1 cup packed chopped cilantro
4 large shallots, coarsely chopped
8 tablespoons vegetable oil
Honey Dipping Sauce
5 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Combine the ingredients for the Marinade in a shallow dish. Transfer the chicken into the dish and coat well with the Marinade. Cover the dish and marinate 8 hours (for best flavor).
Prepare the Honey Dipping Sauce by combining the water, sugar and honey in a small saucepan and heat it over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
Pour the mixture into a bowl and add the crushed red pepper. Let it cool to room temperature before adding the white vinegar and fish sauce. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Refrigerate until use.
To grill the chicken, scrape the marinade off the chicken breast. Season the chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Grill the chicken thighs 3-4 minutes each side.
Reduce the heat or move the chicken to another part of the grill with lower heat. Let it cook for another 2 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook until desired tenderness.
Let it rest for 3-5 minutes before slicing the chicken. Plate and serve with warm steamed brown rice and dipping sauce on the side.
Give this Lemongrass Basil Thai Chicken a try.
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