30-Minute Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi

This post is sponsored by Knorr, Best Foods, and Unilever, but the opinions and text are all mine. Mexican culture has always been a big part of my life because I grew up in a Mexican community. As a result, Mexican culture has influenced how I think about food and the recipes I create. So when Knorr asked me to create a recipe that would pair well with their Sopa Mexicana soup mixes, I was like yes! I love their soup mixes because they’re an easy way for me to get a hearty bowl of soup faster. I personally like their chicken with rice soup paired with my homemade lemongrass chicken banh mi. The Mexican flavors of the soup pair well with the Vietnamese flavors of my chicken banh mi.

How I make my banh mi sandwiches

For me, banh mi traditionally has some sort of protein, pickled carrots and daikon, sliced cucumbers, cilantro, jalapeno, pate, and mayonnaise. There is of course a lot of variation depending on a person’s preference however. Some of the most popular proteins included in banh mi are lemongrass pork, cold cuts (commonly known as banh mi dac biet), lemongrass beef, and this one lemongrass chicken. Some lesser popular proteins are shrimp and even tofu for vegetarians.

Some details about key ingredients

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs – I like to use chicken thighs because they’re a lot juicier and flavorful than other cuts of chicken. Chicken breast also works for this recipe.
• Lemongrass – Lemongrass adds a slightly sour flavor to the chicken. I love using this ingredient to marinate the protein in my banh mi. Good substitutes for lemongrass are lime zest, lemon zest, or Keffir lime leaves. Check out my guide on how to use lemongrass for tips on how to cut this ingredient!
• Soy sauce – A good substitute for soy sauce is oyster sauce. To make this marinade gluten free, use tamari.
• Vegetable oil – Good substitutes for vegetable oil are olive oil and grapeseed oil.
• Light brown sugar – You can use either light or dark brown sugar. Dark brown sugar will make the marinade sweeter.
• Baguettes – Use any baguettes you can find, but typically, I use banh mi baguettes. You can also use traditional French style baguettes.

Making my easy chicken banh mi

Key Tip! Cook the chicken over high heat

Cooking the chicken over high heat ensures you cook the chicken without the juices running out and making the chicken mushy. If you can do this in a wok, even better!

Did you make this lemongrass chicken banh mi?

If you made this dish, I would love to see!

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