Pan-fried Lemongrass Chicken is a healthy, flavorful, and gluten-free dinner that is quick and easy to prep and cook in less than 25 minutes! This tender and juicy Vietnamese chicken is perfect for busy weeknights when you need something delicious on the table fast. But when you have a recipe this good, you will want to make it over and over again — any night of the week.
What is Lemongrass?
Lemongrass is a grass that originates in Asia and is used in many Asian cuisines. It has an incredible lemony aroma which fills the room when you are chopping it up. And just wait until you start cooking with it — the aroma is absolutely mouth-watering. It literally draws the whole family into the kitchen.
Not only does lemongrass smell amazing, but it tastes amazing. It has a powerful and delicious earthy lemony flavour with such a unique taste. So just imagine what lemongrass does to the marinade in this chicken recipe!
Why You Will Love This Lemongrass Chicken
- Incredibly flavorful. The fresh lemongrass, garlic, and soy sauce make this dish explode with flavor. I swear it will taste just as good as your local restaurant, and it will cost way, way less!
- Versatile protein. I'm always amazed by all the different ways you can cook and serve these lemongrass chicken thighs. Make some skewers, pop them on a banh mi sandwich, serve them over rice vermicelli noodles, or plate them with some steamed jasmine rice and your favorite fresh veggies. It's my go-to chicken marinade for any occasion!
- Crowd-pleasing. This lemongrass chicken is always the star of the show. It's beloved by all ages in our house, including kids, and everyone will want seconds. Make a double or triple batch for large gatherings, and I promise you'll get several requests for the recipe!
Ingredient Notes
To make this delicious pan-fried Lemongrass Chicken, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- chicken thighs - Use skinless and boneless thighs in this recipe. If using bone-in thighs, then the cook time will have to be increased.
- lemongrass - we need to finely chop fresh lemongrass for this recipe. When preparing lemongrass, only use the middle part of the stalk where the flavour is (the green part). Discard about 1 inch from the bottom and two inches from the top (there's no flavour in these parts).
- garlic
- soy sauce - you can also substitute with maggi sauce.
- sesame oil
- sugar - adds a little sweetness which helps to balance all the flavors.
- black pepper
- cayenne pepper - optional, for a spicy kick.
- vegetable oil - for pan-frying the chicken. If you decide to grill the chicken instead, you don't need this.
- cilantro - optional, to add when serving for garnish.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a large ziploc bag or bowl, and a skillet.
How to Make the Best Lemongrass Chicken
- Marinate. In a ziploc bag (or mixing bowl), combine chicken, chopped lemongrass, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, pepper, and cayenne pepper, if using. (Note: To make things easy, I chopped up the lemongrass in a food processor). Seal and shake ziploc bag to evenly disperse marinade with the chicken. Place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour, but preferably for 2 hours.
- Cook. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Place chicken on the skillet and cook for 7 minutes per side, or until each side is nicely browned and the internal temperature of the thighs is 165˚F (75˚C) as read on a meat thermometer.
- Serve. Slice into strips and serve over a bowl of Steamed Rice and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top, if desired. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
How to Grill Lemongrass Chicken
You can also throw this chicken on the grill instead. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and grill for about 6-7 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 F, as read on a meat thermometer.
Recipe Variations
- Add some heat. Shake some cayenne pepper or some red pepper flakes to the marinade for a spicy lemongrass chicken.
- Try different proteins. For lemongrass beef, use flank steak, skirt steak, or a nice ribeye. You can also marinate pork chops to give them a major kick of Asian flavor. For a vegan option, marinate extra firm tofu and pan-fry in a large skillet until crispy and golden brown.
- Use dark soy sauce. If you have this special soy sauce on hand, it'll give the lemongrass chicken a little extra sweetness and so much flavour. You can also add a splash of lime juice, too.
- Change the texture. The chopped lemongrass gives the chicken a crunchy texture. If you don't like this texture, you can get the fresh lemongrass super fine by pouring the entire marinade into a blender and pulse until smooth. You can also use a combination of fresh lemongrass and lemongrass powder, or substitute with lemongrass powder completely.
How to Serve
This Lemongrass Chicken is delicious served on its own or over a bowl of rice, noodles, in a sandwich, or over a salad. Some of my favorite ways to serve this Vietnamese chicken with are:
- Rice. Serve over a bowl of Steamed Rice or Coconut Rice and sprinkle some black sesame seeds on top. It is also delicious with a side of Pineapple Fried Rice.
- In a sandwich. Make your own Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich by layering the fragrant lemongrass chicken with pickled daikon radishes and carrots, cucumbers, spicy mayo, and any fresh herbs you'd like on a crusty piece of French baguette. It's absolute heaven!
- Serve over noodles. The marinated chicken tastes amazing with vermicelli rice noodles, fresh vegetables, and homemade nuoc cham sauce in a Vietnamese rice noodle bowl. It is also delicious over a bowl of Hand-Pulled Noodles.
- Salad. Cut the chicken into slices and serve over a salad or on the side. Some delicious salads to pair this with are: Vegan Soba Noodle Salad, Asian Chopped Salad, and Chinese Garlic Cucumber Salad.
- Make chicken skewers. Make lemongrass chicken skewers by cutting the chicken breasts or thighs into cubes and thread them on soaked bamboo skewers. Grill over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes per side or until it reaches 165 F (as read on a meat thermometer) in the thickest section.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Make sure to marinate the chicken. The key to this recipe, and the key to achieving tender, juicy chicken thighs every single time is the lemongrass marinade. You need to make sure that the chicken sits in the marinade for at least 1 hour (personally, I prefer 2 hours). So yes, although this is the perfect weeknight meal because it takes less than 25 minutes to prep and cook, you do need to think ahead about the time you need to allow the chicken to marinate.
- Plan ahead. I suggest whipping up the marinade as soon as you get home from work, so that by the time dinnertime rolls around, you literally spend 14 minutes on the stove cooking the chicken. Or better yet, marinate the chicken the night before, or in the morning.
- How to prepare fresh lemongrass. When preparing lemongrass, only use the middle part of the stalk where the flavour is (the green part). Discard about 1 inch from the bottom and two inches from the top (there's no flavour in these parts).
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Keep the leftover lemongrass chicken in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to Reheat
Reheat on the stove with a little oil over medium heat until the chicken is heated through and crispy again. You can also reheat in the air fryer at 400 F for about 5 minutes until heated through.
How to Freeze
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container of freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, allow the chicken to defrost in the refrigerator overnight and then follow the reheating instructions above.
FAQ
Lemongrass chicken has a cleansing, citrus aroma from the lemongrass with a sweet, savory scent from the soy sauce that caramelizes and concentrates in the hot pan. Because of this, it has a meaty, umami flavor and a subtle sweetness with just enough bite from the pepper and spices. Pan frying gives each bite of chicken a really flavorful crust on the outside and tender, juicy meat on the inside. It’s the star of any meal!
For the best flavor, marinate your chicken for at least 1 hour, but ideally 2. Thirty minutes is the bare minimum. The lemongrass paste needs time to work its flavor into each bite of chicken.
It depends on the specific recipe you follow. Most versions include soy sauce, which can include wheat. For gluten-free lemongrass chicken, you'll need to use wheat-free soy sauce or tamari.
More Vietnamese Recipes
- Vietnamese Salad Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce
- Vietnamese Pho
- Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich
- Vietnamese Grilled Pork
- Vietnamese Chicken Salad
- Honey Garlic Shrimp Skewers
Did you make this recipe? I would greatly appreciate a comment and rating below, letting me know what you thought of the recipe. You can also snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.
Don't forget to sign up for my email newsletter so that you don't miss any recipes. You can also follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more recipe updates.
Recipe
Lemongrass Chicken
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Pan-fried Lemongrass Chicken is a healthy, flavorful, and gluten-free dinner that is quick and easy to prep and cook in less than 25 minutes! This Vietnamese chicken is perfect for busy weeknights when you need something delicious on the table fast. But when you have a recipe this good, you will want to make it over and over again — any night of the week.
Ingredients
- 5 pieces of chicken thighs, boneless
- 2 stalks lemongrass, finely chopped (approximately 1 cup)
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- cilantro, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- In a ziploc bag, combine chicken, chopped lemongrass, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, pepper, and cayenne pepper, if using. (Note: To make things easy, I chopped up the lemongrass in a food processor). Seal and shake ziploc bag to evenly disperse marinade with the chicken. Place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour, but preferably for 2 hours.
To pan-fry lemongrass chicken:
- In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Place chicken on the skillet and cook for 7 minutes per side, or until each side is nicely browned and the internal temperature of the thighs is 165˚F (75˚C) as read on a meat thermometer.
- Slice into strips and serve over a bowl of Steamed Rice and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top, if desired. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
To grill lemongrass chicken:
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and grill for about 6-7 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 F as read on a meat thermometer.
Notes
How to prepare fresh lemongrass: When preparing lemongrass, only use the middle part of the stalk where the flavour is (the green part). Discard about 1 inch from the bottom and two inches from the top (there's no flavour in these parts).
The texture of lemongrass chicken: The lemongrass gives the chicken a crunchy texture. If you don't like this texture, you can use a combination of fresh lemongrass and lemongrass powder, or substitute with powder completely. To get it super fine, pour the entire marinade into a blender and pulse until smooth.
How to store: Keep the leftover lemongrass chicken in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to reheat: Reheat on the stove with a little oil over medium heat until the chicken is heated through and crispy again. You can also reheat in the air fryer at 400 F for about 5 minutes until heated through.
How to freeze: Store leftover chicken in an airtight container of freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, allow the chicken to defrost in the refrigerator overnight and then follow the reheating instructions above.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Marinate Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Pan Fry
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Food Blogger Business School
A step-by-step program that teaches food bloggers how to grow and scale their blogs into a full-time business
in less time and without posting endless content until you burn out.
alex says
Smells great and tastes great. I like that the recipe is simple. I hope others are using only the tender white parts of the lemongrass and not the woody parts or leaves - you may want to reiterate this in the ingredient list as I (probably like many other people) just jump straight the recipe section. Thanks.
Tara says
Absolutely delicious! Pairs great with the coconut rice.
J Degrasse says
I prepared the chicken last night. I put the lemongrass in my food processor and left it to marinate until tonight. The flavor is good but the lemongrass is too grassy. I can still feel it in my throat. I feel like what I’ve seen my dog and cat do after they eat grass and then go and cough it up. I wish I could gag it back up.
I suggest cutting the lemongrass in chunks and not eating after cooking.
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Hi J, sorry you have a bad experience with this recipe. I have a note about this texture in the recipe notes and do provide some tips for those who don't like the texture. I suggest using a combination of fresh lemongrass and lemongrass powder, or substitute with powder completely. To get it super fine, pour the entire marinade into a blender and pulse until smooth. Your suggestion of cutting up the lemongrass in chunks and then removing it is a great idea too!
Katie says
Question: we found the lemongrass that remained on the chicken to be a bit in the woody/tough/crunchy side. Do you leave it all on the chicken to cook and if so how do we avoid this in the future? I used a food processor as well. Flavor was perfect, but the texture was off putting. This is my first time using the whole stalk in a recipe so I wonder if I didn’t use the correct portion.
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
You are totally right, the lemongrass gives the chicken a crunchy texture. If you don't like the texture, I would suggest using less stalk and adding some lemongrass powder with it, or just substituting the lemongrass for the powder completely. The flavour won't be as authentic, but it will do the trick. OR you could try to put the prepared marinade with food processed lemongrass into a blender to get the pieces even finer.