Vietnamese Grilled Chicken

This Vietnamese Grilled Chicken is the perfect dish for a weeknight. With only a 30 minute marinating time, the chicken is moist and has amazing flavours of lime, fish sauce and other quick pantry items.

Vietnamese cuisine is renowned for its vibrant flavours and aromatic dishes. One delicacy that perfectly exemplifies these qualities is Vietnamese grilled chicken. Bursting with a blend of fresh herbs, this dish tantalizes your taste buds.

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What is Vietnamese Grilled Chicken?

At the heart of Vietnamese grilled chicken lies the marination. The chicken thighs are marinated in a combination of fish sauce, lime juice and a few basic pantry ingredients. The cilantro gives this dish a mouthwatering freshness. This marinade infuses the meat with a medley of flavours, tenderizing it and creating a perfect balance between sweet, savoury and tangy.

Grilling the thighs on a BBQ imparts a distinctive aroma and caramelization to the chicken, adding depth and complexity to its taste – smoky with an appetizing charred exterior. Oh yum!

Here’s Why You Will Love Vietnamese Grilled Chicken

• Versatile: You can substitute the chicken with any protein of choice.
• Different serving styles: Whether served as a standalone dish, accompanied by steamed rice or wrapped in rice paper with an array of fresh herbs and vegetables, this recipe offers a versatile dining experience.
• Make it Vegetarian: For a vegetarian version, you can substitute zucchini or squash for the chicken.
• Delicious: With a smoky and charred exterior, the tender Vietnamese grilled chicken has a sweet, savoury and tangy balance.

Equipment and Tools to Make Vietnamese Grilled Chicken

Cutting board and knife: To debone thighs and chop cilantro

Large bowl: To marinate chicken in

Measuring spoons: To measure out ingredients for marinade

BBQ: To grill the chicken

Ingredients

Alright, let’s make our shopping list! To make this recipe, you will need…

• Chicken: I’ve written this recipe using boneless chicken thighs. I do prefer dark meat but it will work with any cut of chicken. You can even try a vegetarian version but using zucchini or squash
• Sugar, salt, black pepper: basic pantry ingredients that you have at home already!
• Fish sauce: smells stinky but trust me, it’s the ingredient that gives a yummy umami taste for all Vietnamese cuisine
• Lime juice: freshly squeezed lime juice gives the marinade a beautiful citrus note
• Oil: any neutral flavoured oil, such as canola oil, will work
• Cilantro: I love cilantro but I know a lot of people don’t. You can substitute with thinly sliced Thai basil if you would like. It’s just as tasty.

Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Options and Substitutions

Want to mix things up with this recipe? Feel free to…

• Add garlic, ginger or lemongrass. You can add a few cloves of garlic or even ginger powder if you have some on hand. If you use lemongrass, pull off the outer leaves and roughly chop the white parts of the lemongrass stalk only, usually it’s the bottom third of the stalk.
• Make it spicy. If you want some heat, toss in a few slices of Thai red bird chilies into the marinade.
• Use a different protein. Beef, pork, shrimp or tofu all are delicious with this marinade too!
• Serve with rice and vegetables. I eat this chicken with fresh jasmine rice and these easy Chinese vegetables or garlic green beans.

How to Make Vietnamese Grilled Chicken

To make this grilled chicken recipe, simply…

1. Debone chicken thighs. Reserve bone for soup. Cut small slits in the meat for faster cooking and for the marinade to penetrate through.
2. Marinate the chicken. In a large bowl, combine cilantro stems, sugar, salt, pepper, fish sauce, lime juice and oil. Mix well. Add chicken pieces and massage marinade. When possible, peel back the skin to get some marinade in between. Marinate for 30 minutes or overnight.
3. Cook. Heat BBQ to medium heat. Place chicken skin side down on grill, turning regularly to ensure even cooking. Cook until it is opaque throughout, about 12 minutes.
4. Rest and serve. Add additional chopped cilantro to cooked chicken. Rest 5 minutes. Slice the chicken into strips. Serve with rice and vegetables.

Storage and Reheating Tips

The Vietnamese Grilled Chicken refrigerates well in an air tight container for up to three days. You can reheat in the microwave or air fryer.

Make Ahead Options

You can marinate the chicken overnight and grill the following day. This will give it extra flavour.

Recipe Tips

Cook the thighs in an air fryer if you don’t have a BBQ or if you would like to reduce the recipe by half.

Serve this grilled chicken with freshly steamed rice and vegetables.

Make it a hands-on meal by wrapping the chicken, lettuce and fresh herbs with rice paper and dipping it in fish sauce.

Marinate overnight if you want extra depth of flavour.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a Vietnamese Grilled Chicken taste like? The chicken thighs are marinated in a combination of fish sauce, lime juice and a few basic pantry ingredients. The cilantro gives this dish a mouthwatering freshness. This marinade infuses the meat with a medley of flavours, tenderizing it and creating a perfect balance between sweet, savoury and tangy. Grilling the thighs on a BBQ imparts a distinctive aroma and caramelization to the chicken, adding depth and complexity to its taste – smoky with an appetizing charred exterior. Perfect for the summer!

What goes well with Vietnamese Grilled Chicken? Whether served as a standalone dish, accompanied by steamed rice with simple vegetables or wrapped in rice paper with an array of fresh herbs and vegetables, this recipe offers a versatile dining experience.

Is Vietnamese Grilled Chicken healthy? Chicken thighs are a great source of protein. I would incorporate the dish with fresh vegetables, which provide essential vitamins and minerals, making it a wholesome and satisfying meal option.

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Lastly, if you make my Vietnamese Grilled Chicken be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a star rating! I love to hear from you guys and respond to each and every comment. Also, don’t forget to tag me @cookwith.chopsticks and #cookwithchopsticks on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you have made makes me sooooo happy! You can also follow along on TikTok, Facebook and Pinterest.