VIETNAMESE LEMONGRASS CHICKEN
One of the things that makes Vietnamese food so special is the use of fresh herbs and aromatics, and this dish is no exception. Lemongrass Chicken is a classic Vietnamese dish that’s well-loved for its fragrant and bold flavors. I personally like to add coriander seeds but you can skip it and it’ll be just as good! Having it in lettuce wraps is a great way to enjoy a low calorie and high protein meal full of flavours!It’s perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner or a weekend barbecue with friends.
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 31g
Ingredients
- 400 g chicken thighs, skinless and boneless boneless
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 lemongrass finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 shallots minced
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 1 Thai chili (optional)
- lettuce
Garnish:
- 200 g pickled carrots
- 200 g cucumber
- fresh mint
Vietnamese Nuoc cham dressing (adjust ratio to your preferences):
- 1 cup lime juice lemon
- 1 cup fish sauce
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cup water (to taste depending on your concentration preference)
- 1 Thai chili finely chopped (optional)
Video
Instructions
Lemongrass chicken:
- Remove the outer layers of the lemongrass and bruise it to release its flavours, using the side of the knife.
- Minced the garlic, shallots and chop the white part of the lemongrass as fine as possible.
- Trim as much as possible the excessive skin and fat from the chicken thighs, then add the aromatics and condiments . Mix well and let it marinade in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Cook the chicken in the airfryer at 180C for 10-15min or in the oven for 20min. Make sure not to overcook or it’ll be dry. You can also grill each side of the chicken on a pan first for a crisper skin and chargrill color. If so, reduce the cooking time in the airfryer/oven.
Pickled carrots:
- Soak grated carrots overnigh with a mixture of white vinega, same volume of water and 1/4 volume of sugar.
- Make sure to completely submerge the carrots in the vinegar mixture.
Vietnamese dipping sauce:
- Dissolve the sugar in water first then add lemon juice.
- Adjust to your taste (spiciness, sourness, sweetness, concentration)
Notes
*For an even lower calorie version, you can remove the skin.
*You can serve lemongrass chicken with rice or vermicelli but macros will be different.
*You can grate or cube white radish to soak in the vinegar mixture to turn them into pickles too.
* You can add crushed peanuts to the dipping sauce for a nutty flavour.Â
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