Baked Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken Thighs

This Vietnamese lemongrass chicken features chicken thighs tenderized and seasoned in a homemade marinade of soy sauce, oyster and fish sauce, and minced lemongrass. The chicken thighs are pan-seared until the skin is golden brown and crispy, yielding tender and juicy meat. Serve this flavorful lemongrass chicken with steamed rice, fresh veggies, and a fried egg before diving in.

This easy Vietnamese lemongrass chicken recipe is the perfect weeknight meal or in those moments when you’re just too tired to cook. Chicken is marinated with lemongrass, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and honey to give it the perfect balance of salty and sweet. This is my go-to marinade I use with a ton of meats from pork to turkey legs. The lemongrass chicken thighs are then seared on the stove and finished in the oven. Out of my entire chicken dinner collection of recipes, I have to tell you this is one of my go to recipes for weeknights! It’s just so easy to make and you can eat it with a variety of things.

Key Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments

• Chicken thighs – You can use any cut of chicken for this recipe. I chose to use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs because I love how juicy and flavorful they are. You can also use chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs. If you do choose to use different cuts, make sure to adjust your cooking time accordingly. Different parts of the chicken cook differently.
• Lemongrass – This is the main flavor component of the marinade. It has a light, lemon-y like flavor that works really well with meats. There isn’t a substitute for lemongrass since most ingredients don’t have the same complex flavor. If you can’t find lemongrass, use a tablespoon of lime as a substitute or lemongrass paste. Check out my guide on how to use lemongrass for tips on how to cut this ingredient!
• Fish sauce, oyster sauce & soy sauce – These 3 sauces add different variations of umami and salty flavors to the chicken. It is a combination that I use a lot (see my chicken and rice), and that’s because it adds so much flavor to any marinade. I have also made this recipe without oyster sauce, it tastes just as good!

Tips on how to make the perfect Vietnamese lemongrass chicken

Adjust the cook time accordingly when using different cuts of chicken

You can use any cut of chicken for this recipe, but they will cook differently depending on thickness and if they included bones. For example, I used bone in chicken thighs which cook for 25-30 minutes in the oven. However, boneless chicken thighs will cook for 20-22 minutes. You can even use a whole chicken but that will require you to double or triple the amount of marinade and increase the cook time to 1 hour 25 minutes. For a more detailed guide on how to roast a whole chicken, check out my Vietnamese Roasted Chicken recipe.

Sear the chicken skin to trap in flavor and keep it crispy

This is a cool tip I learned from watching Gordon Ramsey cook. He always says “no color, no flavor”. For the best flavor and color, use a cast iron skillet to sear the chicken. To get the best sear, make sure your pan is hot before adding your chicken.

Do not cut into the chicken immediately after cooking

If you cut into chicken or any meat right after you cook it, its juices will spill out. Letting it rest will allow the juices to redistribute into the meat, creating for a juicy, yummy texture.

How do you serve lemongrass chicken?

Lemongrass chicken has strong flavors, so serve this dish with a bland dish. Traditionally, this dish is served on a com tam dish or a Vietnamese rice dish. Com tam is usually served with white rice or a version of white rice called broken rice garnished with mo hanh with a little pickled vegetables, cha trung hap, and nuoc cham.

I personally love broken rice! I highly recommend broken rice if you can find it. Other things you can serve it with are brown rice, red rice, vermicelli noodles, or even sweet potatoes. You can also make a version of this dish to put in a sandwich (lemongrass chicken banh mi) or to put in Vietnamese noodle bowls with chicken (bun ga nuong)! If you have leftover chicken, add it to a pan with some vegetables to make a yummy stir fry.

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