Globecooking recipe : Lemongrass Chicken (Vietnam)

Way back in June last year, my monthly Kitchen Trotter globe-cooking box featured Vietnamese recipes, including this one for Lemongrass Chicken. I sent Madhouse Daddy off to the supermarket with a shopping list with lemongrass scrawled on the bottom several times, but every time he came back empty handed. In the end, we went for a cheat's version and bought a tube of Very Lazy Lemongrass which may not be authentic but it was extremely convenient ! I also decided to use chicken breast instead of thighs, for a speedy supper.

Lemongrass Chicken 

ingredients :

4 chicken breasts

1 tube Very Lazy Lemongrass (or 3 stalks of fresh/dried lemongrass)

2 cloves of garlic

1 shallot

2tbsp soy sauce

1tbsp rice vinegar

1tbsp fish sauce (nuoc mam)

1tbsp sugar

4tbsp water

Put all of the ingredients in a bowl and marinate the chicken in it for a couple of hours.

Alternatively, if you're in a rush like I was, precook the chicken in a drizzle of olive oil. Pour over the remaining ingredients and cook for about 5-10 minutes untils it's cooked through. Turn off the heat and leave to absorb all those lovely flavours for 1/2 hour or so. 

Reheat the chicken thoroughly and adjust the seasoning to taste.

This could be served with rice or noodles. As I'm doing Dukan, I ate it with vegetables which was lovely too.

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If you want some more Vietnamese dishes, how about Ban Xeo (Crispy Crêpes), Bo Kho (Beef Stew), Grass Jelly, Lemongrass, Beef & Vermicelli Herb Salad, Mixed Fruit in Lemongrass Syrup or Saigon Summer Rolls.