Succulent chicken pieces marinated in a fragrant blend of lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, and honey, then grilled over charcoal until caramelized and smoky, served with steamed rice and pickled vegetables.
Ingredients
1kg chicken thighs and drumsticks
4 stalks lemongrass, white part only, finely minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
Steamed jasmine rice for serving
Do chua (pickled daikon and carrot) for serving
Instructions
1Finely mince the lemongrass white parts, combine with garlic, fish sauce, honey, soy sauce, oil, five-spice powder, and black pepper in a bowl.
2Score the chicken pieces with shallow cuts to allow the marinade to penetrate, then coat thoroughly and marinate for at least two hours or overnight.
3Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat and oil the grates to prevent sticking.
4Grill the chicken pieces for six to seven minutes per side, basting with remaining marinade, until the skin is deeply caramelized and the internal temperature reaches seventy-four degrees.
5Let the chicken rest for five minutes on a cutting board, then chop into pieces through the bone in the Vietnamese style.
6Serve on a plate with steamed jasmine rice and pickled daikon and carrot alongside.
Did You Know?
Street vendors in Saigon often fan the charcoal with a piece of cardboard while grilling, creating bursts of intense heat that give the chicken its characteristic charred spots and smoky aroma that fills entire neighborhoods.