If you are looking for an easy Vietnamese chicken recipe, look no further. This spicy lemongrass chicken (Gà Chiên Sả Ớt) cooks up on the stovetop in under 15 minutes. No need to marinate. Simply chop up your chicken into bite-size pieces and your aromatics then throw everything together in a skillet. Season at the end to taste. You will have flavorful crispy lemongrass chicken that goes wonderfully with steamed rice.
What You Will Need
- Lemongrass — The star ingredient. We are using about ¼ cup, which is about 2 stalks of the bottom white part only. Lemongrass has a lemony and floral flavor and aroma. You can get pre-ground lemongrass in the freezer aisle at an Asian grocery store or prepare your own. For those who absolutely do not like to eat lemongrass because it’s still too woody, keep the bottom white part intact but give it a light smash to release its aroma and flavor. Fry the lemongrass with whatever protein you’re using then simply toss the lemongrass away afterward. This way, you can enjoy the aroma and flavor of lemongrass without actually eating it.
- Shallot — About one small shallot which equals about 2 tablespoons finely diced.
- Garlic — About 3 cloves which equals about 1 tablespoon finely diced.
- Fish sauce — The umami salt of the East.
- Sugar — We need a sweetner to balance the fish sauce. I’m using granulated cane sugar.
- Ground black pepper — Because why not.
- Netural oil — I’m using vegetable oil to fry the chicken golden brown. There’s no need for a lot because I’m using chicken thighs with skin on for this recipe and it will render a good amount of its own fat/oil when fried.
How to Make Vietnamese Spicy Lemongrass Chicken
Once you chop up your chicken into bite-size pieces and mince the aromatics (lemongrass, shallots, garlic and red chili peppers), there are only three steps to this recipe:
First, pan fry the chicken in oil until golden brown on all sides. Make sure the chicken is completely dry to prevent hot oil splatters when frying. This took about 10 minutes total for 1-½ inch chunks of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
Second, toss in the aromatics (shallots, lemongrass, garlic and red chili peppers). Mix it to evenly coat the chicken.
Last, season to taste with fish sauce, sugar and ground black pepper. That’s it! Simple as pie! Recipe below. Happy cooking!
Easy Vietnamese Pan-Fried Spicy Lemongrass Chicken (Ga Chien Sa Ot)
- Total Time: 14 minutes
- Yield: 3 1x
Description
If you are looking for an easy Vietnamese chicken recipe, then look no further. This spicy lemongrass chicken cooks up on the stovetop in under 15 minutes. Flavorful crispy lemongrass chicken that goes wonderfully with steamed rice.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken thighs cut into bite-size pieces (skin-in, bone-in preferred)
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 1/4 cup minced lemongrass
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 2 Thai red chili peppers (sliced thin)
- Sprinkle ground black pepper
- 1 Green onion (optional; sliced thin)
Instructions
- Pan fry chicken: Heat up oil in a medium wok or skillet on high heat. Add chicken and toss for about 10 minutes or until golden brown on all sides.
- Add aromatics: Push the chicken to the side to clear the center of the skillet. Add garlic, lemongrass, shallots, and chili peppers. Pan fry until fragrant (about 30 seconds) then combine with the chicken.
- Season to taste: Add fish sauce and sugar. Add a little at a time to taste. Continue to cook for another 2-4 minutes until chicken is caramelized.
- Finish: Top with ground black pepper and thinly sliced green onions for a beautiful finish and serve.
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: side dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: asian, vietnamese
