Best Vietnamese Chicken Recipes

VIETNAMESE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a small frying pan on medium heat and gently cook the shallots and garlic until caramelised and golden brown (about 4-5 mins).
• In a large saucepan, add the caramelised shallots and garlic, lemongrass, ginger, star anise, cinnamon stick, coriander seeds, Chinese five-spice, peppercorns, sugar, fish sauce, chicken stock and chicken breasts. Cover with a lid and bring to a very gentle simmer for about 15 mins.
• Meanwhile, cook the noodles, following pack instructions, until just cooked through (do not over-cook). Rinse under cold water to prevent them sticking together. Drain and divide between serving bowls.
• Strain the soup through a sieve. Discard the spices. Shred the chicken and keep to one side. Return soup to the pot and bring to a boil. Season to taste with more fish sauce if needed.
• To serve, ladle piping hot soup into bowls of noodles and chicken, and top with spring onion, carrot, bean sprouts, and herbs, plus the chilli, crispy shallots and kaffir lime leaf if using. Serve with a lime wedge to squeeze over, and more fish sauce and chilli to taste.

VIETNAMESE CARAMEL CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine sugar, fish sauce, and black pepper in a shallow plate and turn chicken in the marinade. Set aside for 10 minutes.
• Combine water, fish sauce, sugar, and rice vinegar in a bowl. Set caramel sauce aside.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and pan-fry chicken, skin-side up, until bottoms turn slightly crispy and brown, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook until skin is slightly charred, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and transfer to a plate.
• Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and cook garlic for 30 seconds. Return chicken to the skillet and add caramel sauce. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear. Caramel sauce should be reduced and turn amber in color. Add jalapenos and cook for 1 more minute.

VIETNAMESE COCONUT LEMONGRASS CHICKEN

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the half the onion and all the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until both begin to soften, about 7 minutes. Add the salt (if using), black pepper, sugar, chopped ginger and chicken. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar melts and the onion mixture and chicken begin to brown, about 15 minutes.
• Add the remaining onion, the chili peppers, lemon grass, curry powder, soy sauce, fish sauce and coconut milk. Stir, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the chicken is no longer pink at the center, about 10 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer (adjusting the heat if necessary) until the sauce thickens and the chicken is tender, about 10 minutes more.
• Serve warm garnished with coconut shavings if desired. This dish tastes even better the next day!

GRILLED VIETNAMESE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat grill.
• Place all the ingredients except the chicken in a shallow glass baking dish and stir them together.
• Make shallow slits across the chicken breast, going a little deeper in the thick end.
• Make shallow slits long ways, resulting in a slight diamond pattern in the meat.
• Put the chicken in the marinade and make sure some gets in the slits.
• This only needs to marinade for 10 or 15 minutes to pick up the flavor, I believe this is because of the slits.
• Place on grill and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until no longer pink.
• Turn once during cooking.

VIETNAMESE-STYLE CHICKEN CURRY SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Cook chicken and onions in oil until onions are soft and translucent; remove onions and chicken from pot and set aside.
• Saute shallots in pot for about 1 minute, then stir in garlic, ginger, lemon grass and curry powder. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes, then stir in bell pepper and carrots. Return chicken and onion to pot and stir in chicken broth, water and fish sauce. Season with lime leaves, bay leaf and red pepper flakes.
• Bring to a boil and introduce potatoes. Return to a boil and pour in coconut milk. Reduce heat and simmer 40 to 60 minutes, until potatoes and chicken are tender. Garnish each dish with a sprig of fresh cilantro.

VIETNAMESE CHICKEN AND LONG-GRAIN RICE CONGEE

Steps:

• Place chicken in a stock pot. Pour in enough water to cover chicken. Add ginger, lemon grass, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and gently simmer for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours.
• Strain broth, and return broth to stock pot. Let chicken cool, then remove bones and skin, and tear into bite-size pieces; set aside.
• Stir rice into broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If necessary, adjust with water or additional salt. The congee is done, but can be left to cook an additional 45 minutes for better consistency.
• Ladle congee into bowls, and top with chicken, cilantro, chives, and pepper. Squeeze lime juice to taste.

VIETNAMESE CHICKEN SALAD

Steps:

• Stir together the chopped green chiles, rice vinegar, lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, sugar, sesame oil, vegetable oil, and black pepper until the mixture is thoroughly combined and the sugar is dissolved.
• Place the chicken, cabbage, carrot, onion, peanuts, and cilantro in a salad bowl, and toss thoroughly together with tongs. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss again. Serve immediately.

VIETNAMESE NOODLE SALAD WITH LEMONGRASS CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken into a large zip-top freezer bag.
• Combine red chile peppers, garlic, lemongrass, olive oil, fish sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and sea salt in a food processor. Blend until finely chopped and combined. Pour marinade into the freezer bag , making sure chicken is well coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or up to overnight.
• Remove chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to allow to come to room temperature.
• Heat a large cast iron or nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in batches until golden and caramelized on the outside and no longer pink in the centers, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and cut into thick slices using a sharp knife.
• Place sugar in a medium bowl. Add lemon juice and stir to dissolve. Stir in water and fish sauce, followed by garlic and chile pepper. Allow flavors to settle, 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning; add more lemon juice or sugar as needed.
• Meanwhile, place noodles in a large bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside until noodles are softened, about 15 minutes.
• Place cooked noodles into serving bowls. Top with chicken, lettuce, cucumber, carrot, cilantro, mint, and sauce.

SPICY VIETNAMESE STIR-FRY WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• To prepare chicken: Combine sesame oil, fish sauce, sugar, chile paste and pepper in a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken; marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• To prepare broth: Warm oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, until fragrant and well mixed, about 2 minutes. Add water, sugar, oyster sauce and fish sauce; bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Pour through a fine strainer, discarding solids. Stir chile paste into broth; set aside. (You should have about 1 cup broth.).
• To prepare stir-fry: Combine vegetable oil and sesame oil in a large skillet or wok; heat almost to the smoking point. Quickly add chicken; stir-fry until chicken is about half cooked. Add bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, basil and cilantro; cook until vegetables are almost tender. Add broth and bring to a boil, then add snow peas and broccoli. Cook just until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Dissolve cornstarch in cold water; stir into the stir-fry mixture.
• Return to a boil and cook briefly until thickened.
• To serve: Spoon stir-fry over rice; garnish with lime and cilantro.

INSTANT-POT VIETNAMESE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP (PHO GA)

Steps:

• Preheat the Instant Pot by selecting Sauté on high heat.
• Once hot, add the oil to the pot. Add the onions, cutside down, and the ginger. Cook, without moving, until charred-about 4 minutes.
• Add the coriander, star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick, and cardamom. Stir and cook for 1 minute more. Add the chicken, fish sauce, and sugar and immediately pour over the water. Secure the lid.
• Select Manual and cook at high pressure for 15 minutes.
• Once cooking is complete, use a natural release for 10 minutes and release any remaining steam. Remove the chicken from the pot and carefully strain the broth. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
• Place the cooked noodles in 4 bowls. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pick the meat off the bones and add to the bowls. Pour over the broth and top with scallions, herbs, lime, and bean sprouts and jalapeño (if using).

PHO GA (VIETNAMESE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP)

Steps:

• Cut the hen into 8 pieces and discard any excess fat. Rinse chicken bones and necks with cold water and place in a stockpot. Add the water and ginger and bring to a boil. Skim any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 3 hours; do not allow the liquid to boil to ensure a clear broth.
• Remove and discard the hen and bones. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve or chinois lined with cheesecloth. Return the broth to a large soup pot and continue to simmer until reduced to a volume of 2 1/2 or 3 quarts. Season with salt, to taste, and keep hot while you assemble the remaining ingredients.
• Prepare the rice vermicelli according to package directions. Once done, transfer to a colander and drain well. Rinse well under cold running water. Drain thoroughly before using. (The noodles may be prepared up to this point 2 hours ahead of serving.)
• When ready to serve the soup, for each serving ladle 2 cups of the hot broth into a large soup bowl. Quickly dip the cooked noodles in the remaining hot broth to rewarm, then place a handful of noodles in each bowl. Divide the sliced chicken breast between the bowls, laying the slices over the top of the noodles. Serve the soup immediately, with the fresh cilantro, basil, mint, bean sprouts, lime wedges and jalapeno peppers in baskets on the table for each person to garnish their own soup, as desired. Add chili sauce or fish sauce, to taste, if desired.

VIETNAMESE LEMON GRASS CHICKEN CURRY

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the lemon grass, cooking until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Place the chicken into the skillet. Cook and stir the chicken until no longer pink in the center and the skin is browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the water, fish sauce, and curry powder. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Mix cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of the curry sauce in a small bowl, until smooth. Stir cornstarch mixture into the skillet and simmer until sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro before serving.

VIETNAMESE STICKY CHICKEN WITH DAIKON AND CARROT PICKLE

Steps:

• Marinate chicken:
• Whisk together garlic, sugar, fish sauce, oil, lime juice, and hot sauce in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add chicken and toss to coat, then marinate 15 minutes.
• Make pickle while chicken marinates:
• Cut carrots and radish into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks (2 inches long) with slicer. Whisk together vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl until sugar is dissolved, then add vegetables and toss to combine. Let stand, tossing occasionally, until wilted, about 15 minutes.
• Grill chicken:
• Heat grill pan over moderately high heat until hot, then grill chicken in 4 batches, turning over once with tongs, until just cooked through, about 1 minute total per batch. Transfer chicken to a plate as grilled and keep warm, covered with foil. Serve with pickle and accompaniments.
• *Available at Asian markets, cookware shops, and Uwajimaya (800-889-1928).

GOI GA (VIETNAMESE CHICKEN AND CABBAGE SALAD)

Steps:

• Combine chicken, cabbage, cilantro, onion, and carrot in a large bowl. Set salad aside.
• Mix vinegar, sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, and cayenne pepper together in a separate bowl. Add dressing to the bowl with the salad and mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate at least 2 hours for flavors to meld.
• Serve salad topped with chopped peanuts.

EMERIL LAGASSE'S GRILLED VIETNAMESE-STYLE CHICKEN WINGS

Steps:

• Rinse the wings under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside in a large bowl while you prepare the marinade. Combine the garlic, shallots, ginger, scallions, lemongrass, brown sugar, fish sauce, lime juice and peanut oil in a food processor and process until smooth.
• Pour the marinade over the wings and place in a large resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat a grill to medium. Remove the wings from the marinade; reserve the marinade to brush the wings while they cook. Place the wings on the grill, season with 1 teaspoon salt and cook, turning every few minutes and basting with the marinade for the first 18 or so minutes. Continue to grill the wings until cooked through, 8 to 10 more minutes.
• Place the wings on a serving platter and garnish with the peanuts and cilantro.

GRILLED VIETNAMESE CHICKEN SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Combine the vinegar, sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1 teaspoon salt and the ginger in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Let cool.
• Transfer half of the vinegar mixture to a large bowl and add the carrots and daikon; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Transfer the remaining vinegar mixture to a shallow baking dish; stir in the lemongrass, shallot, soy sauce and fish sauce. Add the chicken thighs and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours, flipping the chicken halfway through.
• Preheat a grill to medium high and brush the grates with vegetable oil. Remove the chicken from the marinade, scraping off the lemongrass and shallot; season with salt. Grill the chicken until well marked and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Remove to a cutting board.
• Drain the carrots and daikon; stir in the cilantro. Cut the chicken thighs in half. Toast the bread on the grill and spread the mayonnaise on both sides; sandwich with the sliced cucumber, chicken, carrot mixture and jalapeno. Serve with Sriracha.

VIETNAMESE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, bring to a simmer the chicken stock, chicken breasts, chicken wings, scallions, garlic, cinnamon sticks, star anise and ginger. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Once the chicken breasts are cooked, remove them, set aside and shred when cooled. Continue to simmer all the other ingredients for 30 minutes. Then strain the broth through a colander to remove the solids and spices.
• Add the mushrooms, fish sauce and noodles to the strained stock. Simmer until noodles are still al dente, 4 to 5 minutes. Scoop some of the noodles into individual bowls. Top with some of the shredded chicken. Ladle lots of broth into each bowl. Garnish with the bean sprouts, jalapenos and fresh mint, and serve with fish sauce, hoisin sauce, Sriracha and lime wedges. Oh my.

VIETNAMESE CHICKEN CABBAGE SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, onions, and chicken. Toss with olive oil until everything is lightly coated. Season with salt and pepper and continue to toss while adding lemon juice. Add enough lemon juice so that you can taste it in every bite. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. The longer it sets the more the flavors mesh together and the better it tastes!

VIETNAMESE CHICKEN SANDWICH (BANH MI)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Shred daikon and carrot in a food processor fitted with medium shredding disk. Stir together vinegar, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss with shredded vegetables. Let slaw stand, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat baguette on rack in oven until crusty, about 5 minutes. Cut off and discard round ends, then split baguette.
• Mix together oil, fish sauce, and soy sauce and brush on cut sides of bread. Spread liverwurst on bottom layer of bread and top with chiles, onion, and cilantro.
• Drain slaw in a colander.
• Arrange chicken, slaw, and lettuce on cilantro. Spread top layer of bread with mayonnaise and cut sandwich crosswise into fourths.

GRILLED VIETNAMESE CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Rinse chicken; pat dry. Combine sesame oil and crushed red pepper; brush over chicken.
• Grill chicken on the lightly greased rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes or until tender and no longer pink, turning once.
• Meanwhile, for sauce, in a small saucepan,* stir together sugar, peanut butter, soy sauce, oil, garlic, and 2 tablespoons water. Heat on grill rack until sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. For the last 1 minute of grilling, place split rolls on the grill rack to toast.
• To serve, place cooked chicken breasts on bottom halves of rolls; spoon on sauce and top with radish sprouts, broccoli, peanuts (if desired), and roll tops. Makes 4 servings.
• *Note: The heat from the grill will blacken the outside of the saucepan, so use an old one or a small cast-iron skillet.