Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken is juicy, flavorful, and packed with sweet and savory flavors in every bite. The chicken is marinated overnight with fresh lemongrass, fish sauce, garlic, and brown sugar, then air fried until perfectly caramelized.
I had some leftover lemongrass from when I made Filipino Chicken Inasal, so I knew I had to make another lemongrass chicken recipe. This time, I went with Vietnamese flavors and made a simple marinade with fish sauce, garlic, and brown sugar.
The best part is the air fryer does all the work. You get juicy chicken with crispy skin and caramelized edges without having to fire up the grill.
The overnight marinade gives the chicken so much flavor, and the air fryer makes it an easy meal you can make anytime.
Key Ingredients
- Chicken. I like using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs because they’re juicy and the skin gets beautifully caramelized in the air fryer. You can also use boneless thighs, but adjust the cooking time as needed.
- Lemongrass. This gives Vietnamese lemongrass chicken its signature citrusy, fresh flavor. Use only the tender white and light green parts, then finely mince so it blends into the marinade.
- Fish sauce. The main seasoning in the marinade that gives the chicken its bold, savory flavor.
How to Make Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken
1. Make the marinade.
In a bowl, combine the lemongrass, garlic, scallion, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, oil, and white pepper until well mixed.
2. Marinate the chicken.
Place chicken and marinade in a large zip-top bag. Seal and massage the bag to coat the chicken evenly. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for the best flavor.
3. Preheat the air fryer.
Preheat the air fryer to 380°F. This helps the chicken cook evenly and caramelize better.
4. Air fry the chicken.
Spray the basket with a little oil. Arrange the chicken thighs skin-side down in a single layer. Air fry for 10 minutes.
5. Flip and finish cooking.
Flip the chicken skin-side up, increase the temperature to 400°F, and cook for another 6-8 minutes, or until the skin is caramelized and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
6. Rest and serve.
Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with rice, fresh vegetables, and nước chấm.
Other Ways to Cook Lemongrass Chicken
The air fryer is my go-to because it makes the chicken juicy and caramelized with barely any effort or oil. But if you prefer, you can also cook lemongrass chicken the traditional way on the grill or stovetop.
Grill Method
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Grill for 5-7 minutes per side, or until the chicken is caramelized and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Stovetop Method
Heat a little oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes per side until golden brown and caramelized. Lower the heat if needed to prevent the sugars in the marinade from burning.
Tips for the Best Lemongrass Chicken
- Marinate the chicken overnight. While 30 minutes works, letting the chicken marinate overnight gives the lemongrass, garlic, and fish sauce more time to flavor the chicken.
- Remove excess marinade before cooking. Shake off large pieces of lemongrass and garlic before air frying. They can burn quickly because of the sugar in the marinade.
- Start at a lower temperature. The brown sugar helps create those caramelized edges, but it can burn at high heat. Cooking at 380°F first, then finishing at 400°F gives you better color without burning.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer. Arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer so the edges can brown and caramelize properly. Cook in batches if needed.
What part of lemongrass do you use for chicken?
Use only the tender white and light green parts of the lemongrass stalk. The dark green tops are tough and fibrous and should be removed.
To prepare lemongrass, trim off the root end and remove the tough outer layers. Cut off the upper green portion, then finely mince the tender part so it blends into the marinade and releases its citrusy flavor.
What to Serve with Lemongrass Chicken
Vietnamese lemongrass chicken is served with either rice or vermicelli noodles. You can also use it as a bánh mì filling.
Add fresh cucumbers, pickled carrots, and a drizzle of nước chấm to balance the sweet and savory caramelized chicken.
Nước chấm is a Vietnamese dipping sauce made with fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic, and chilies. It’s sweet, salty, tangy, and adds a fresh kick that balances the caramelized chicken.
Storage Instructions
To Store
Store leftover Vietnamese lemongrass chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To Reheat
Reheat the chicken in the air fryer at 350°F for 3-5 minutes, or until warmed through. You can also microwave it, but the air fryer helps bring back the crispy edges.
Try These Chicken Recipes Next!
Chicken Inasal (Filipino Lemongrass Chicken)
Air Fryer Soy Garlic Chicken Wings
Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 2 lemongrass stalks tender white parts only, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 scallion finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- Chopped green onions for garnish
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
- Chopped red chilies for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the lemongrass, garlic, scallion, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, oil, and white pepper until combined.
- Transfer the chicken and marinade to a large zip-top bag. Seal and massage the bag to coat the chicken evenly. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight for the best flavor.
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F for 5 minutes.
- Spray the basket with oil. Arrange the chicken thighs skin-side down in a single layer. Air fry for 10 minutes.
- Flip the chicken skin-side up, increase the temperature to 400°F, and cook for another 6-8 minutes, or until caramelized and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped green onions, red chilies, and cilantro and serve with rice or vermicelli noodles, cucumbers, and nước chấm (Vietnamese dipping sauce).
Notes
- Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an estimate. Actual values may vary based on the ingredients, brands, and portion sizes used.
- Lemongrass prep: Trim off the root end and remove the tough outer layers. Cut off the upper green portion, then finely mince the tender part so it blends into the marinade and releases its citrusy flavor.
- Grill Method: Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Grill for 5-7 minutes per side, or until the chicken is caramelized and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Stovetop Method: Heat a little oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes per side until golden brown and caramelized. Lower the heat if needed to prevent the sugars in the marinade from burning.
