Grilled/Roasted Chicken with Lemon Leaves (Gà Nướng Lá Chanh) and Dipping Sauce (Muối Ớt Chanh)

Here is a Vietnamese version of lemon chicken that is sure to delight. Ga Nuong La Chanh is chicken marinated with lemongrass, garlic, shallots and lemon leaves then lightly seasoned with chicken bouillon powder, sugar and salt. The chicken can either be roasted or grilled, and served with a tangy and spicy dipping sauce on the side.

What I love about this recipe is the heavy use of aromatics. Garlic, shallot and lemongrass last a long time in the fridge so I always have some on hand. I also have a budding lemon tree in the background which makes getting lemon leaves very easy. You can substitute with any citrus leaves such as lemons or orange leaves. If you don’t any of those, substitute with the zest of any citrus. The use of the lemon leaves or zest provides a lovely fragrant that makes the dish.

You don’t need a food processor, as in my video above, but it sure makes the job a lot easier. If you don’t have a food processor, simply chop up everything finely or better yet, use a mortar and pestle to really get the flavor of the aromatics out. Recipe below. Enjoy!

Grilled/Baked Chicken with Lemon Leaves (Ga Nuong La Chanh) and Dipping Sauce (Muoi Ot Chanh)

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

• 1 small whole chicken (butterflied)
• 1 stalk lemongrass (slice finely)
• 5 large lemon/lime leaves (slice into thin strips)
• 1 large shallot (peel)
• 5 large garlic cloves (peel)
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
• 2 teaspoons sea salt

Spicy Lemon Dipping Sauce (Muoi Ot Chanh)

• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon MSG
• 4 tablespoons lemon/lime juice
• 1-3 red chili peppers (mince)

Instructions

1. In a food processor, chop up lemongrass, lime/lemon leaves, shallot, garlic, sugar, chicken bouillon powder and salt until combined.
2. Marinate chicken liberally with mixture.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Roast chicken with skin side down for 40 minutes. Flip. Roast for additional 40 minutes until golden brown.
4. To make the dipping sauce, combine salt, MSG, lemon/lime juice and chili peppers. Mix until combined. Serve on the side with chicken.