Lemongrass Chicken Bowls

 


Ingredients:

Lemongrass chicken (marinade)

  • 4 tbsp fish sauce 60 mL
  • 4 lemongrass stalks white part, or 4 tbsp lemongrass paste
  • 4 garlic cloves minced, or ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 3 tbsp honey 45 mL
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce 30 mL
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper optional
  • 1 kg boneless chicken thighs about 8 – 9 thighs, skinless or skin on

Nuoc cham sauce

  • ½ cup water
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • 3 tbsp white sugar adjust to taste
  • 3 tbsp lime juice adjust to taste
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh red chili finely chopped, optional

To serve

  • Rice of your choice
  • Shredded iceberg lettuce
  • Shredded carrots
  • Sliced cucumbers
  • Cilantro optional
  • Chopped peanuts optional

Instructions:

Lemongrass chicken

  • If you're using lemongrass stalks, finely slice the white part of the lemongrass stalk and then finely mince it. The minced lemongrass will be used in the marinade.
  • Mix the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl. Whisk until everything is mixed through. If you prefer, you can add about 1 – 2 tbsp of water to adjust the consistency of the marinade to your liking.
  • Place the chicken in a ziploc bag, or a large bowl or container. Pour the marinade in and toss the chicken pieces well to make sure all the chicken is well coated in the marinade.
  • Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes, OR for best results marinate in the fridge overnight (or up to 24 hours).
  • When ready to cook, heat a non-stick skillet with a drizzle of vegetable oil, over medium heat. You can use a cast iron skillet as well, but you may need to reduce the heat slightly because the cast iron skillet retains more heat.
  • OPTIONAL – When the pan is heated, pat dry the excess marinade from the chicken pieces using paper towels. This is an optional step, but helps the chicken grill and caramelize better.
  • Place the chicken thighs on the heated pan, skin side down. Do not overcrowd the pan, so cook in batches.
  • Cook the chicken for about 5 minutes per side, until the chicken is caramelized on both sides and is cooked through. Adjust the cook times depending on how fast the chicken is caramelizing, since the cook times will vary depending on the size of the chicken and your stove.
  • Place the cooked chicken on a plate and let it rest for a few minutes.
  • Slice the cooked chicken thighs, and serve with rice or noodles or a salad, with nuoc cham sauce.

Nuoc cham sauce

  • Make sure to use freshly squeezed lime juice to make the nuoc cham sauce.
  • Place all the ingredients in a bowl. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved through. Taste and adjust the flavor by adding more lime juice, honey, or water.
  • Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

To serve

  • Serve the sliced lemongrass chicken with a salad and rice or noodles, and any other additions.
  • Serve the nuoc cham on the side, so that it can be poured over the rice and salad.
  • If you make this for meal prep, either pack the salad separately, OR add sauteed vegetables instead of raw vegetables/salad. Also add the nuoc cham sauce separately, since it can become bitter when heated.



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