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Caramelized Vietnamese lemongrass chicken topped with cilantro and serrano chilis.

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken (Gà Xào Sả)

Tressa Jamil
One pan, Vietnamese lemongrass chicken cooks in a sticky-sweet base of coconut water, caramelized shallots, lemongrass, and ginger.
5 from 3 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Vietnamese
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 562 kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
  
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ⅔ cup coconut water, divided
  • 5 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 4 - inch fresh ginger, julienne
  • 6 large shallots, thinly sliced
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, white inner bulb, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon lime zest
  • 6 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
  • black pepper, coarse ground, to taste
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped, to garnish
  • 1 serrano pepper, thinly sliced, to garnish
Instructions
 
  • Bring the sugar and 3 tablespoons of the coconut water to a boil in a saute pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the color changes, for about 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Reduce the heat and stir until the mixture turns brown, for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add the fish sauce. Stir to combine.
  • Return the pan to heat and stir in the remaining ½ cup of coconut water.
  • Next, add ginger, shallots, lemongrass, and lime zest. Adjust the temperature and maintain a gentle simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and nestle them into the pan; continue simmering for 10 minutes.
  • Turn the chicken and cook until the chicken and shallots caramelize, for 10-20 minutes.
  • Garnish with cilantro and thinly sliced serrano; serve with white rice or coconut cauliflower rice.
Notes
Adapted:
  • The inspiration for this recipe comes from Milkstreet. Their recipe is delicious, but I wanted more of the Vietnamese lemongrass chicken flavor while caramelizing the chicken with the other ingredients as they do. 
Nutrition Disclosure:
  • The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Nutrition
Serving: 2 Chicken Thighs | Calories: 562 kcal | Carbohydrates: 20 g | Protein: 38 g | Fat: 36 g | Saturated Fat: 10 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15 g | Trans Fat: 0.2 g | Cholesterol: 212 mg | Sodium: 1984 mg | Potassium: 821 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 14 g | Vitamin A: 255 IU | Vitamin C: 5 mg | Calcium: 64 mg | Iron: 3 mg
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