I love fresh and flavorful dishes that are quick and easy to make, and this Vietnamese chicken and rice is a perfect example. Featuring a bold lemongrass marinade on pan-seared chicken thighs, this coconut rice and chicken recipe is wonderfully bright and zesty. I love that I can make this yummy meal in just 1 hour, and the flavor is restaurant-quality!
Grilled Vietnamese Chicken Thighs with Coconut Rice
Lemongrass is a fun and unique ingredient with an herbal flavor that’s similar to a mixture of lemon, ginger, and mint. I first learned about it when researching for my lemongrass chicken recipe, and I loved it so much that I knew I had to feature it again! It adds such a wonderful brightness to this Vietnamese chicken recipe, and it’s a flavor that’s hard to replicate.
The freshness of the Vietnamese chicken marinade goes so well with juicy dark meat chicken thighs and creamy coconut rice. This dish has a balanced flavor that makes my mouth water!
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Baste the Chicken for Maximum Flavor
For perfectly cooked Vietnamese chicken and rice on a the grill or in a grill pan, preheat your grill to medium-high (375-450°F) and oil the grates to prevent sticking. Place the chicken skin-side down first to get those beautiful sear marks, then rotate every few minutes for even cooking. Basting the chicken with a bit of the marinade in the last few minutes of grilling enhances the flavor and keeps the meat juicy. This simple technique gives this Vietnamese chicken a smoky, caramelized finish.
Vietnamese Chicken and Rice Recipe
Equipment
- High-Powered Blender
- Grill or Indoor Grill Pan
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1½ pounds boneless skin-on chicken thighs (*)
- 1 stalk fresh lemongrass (rough chopped**)
- 1 shallot (rough chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
For the Coconut Rice:
- 2 cups dry jasmine rice
- 14 ounces coconut milk (1 can)
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For Serving (optional):
- fresh mint or cilantro
- thinly sliced cucumber
Instructions
- Add the chicken thighs to a bowl. Set aside.1½ pounds boneless skin-on chicken thighs
- Add the lemongrass, shallot, garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of the oil to a blender. Blend until smooth.1 stalk fresh lemongrass, 1 shallot, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Pour the mixture from the blender over the chicken, toss to combine, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- 5 minutes before cooking the chicken, rinse the jasmine rice under cool water until it runs clear. Place the rinsed rice in a pot with the coconut milk, water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low for about 18-20 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.2 cups dry jasmine rice, 14 ounces coconut milk, 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- While the rice cooks, heat the remaining oil in a skillet set over medium heat. Sear the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side, skin-side down, until golden.
- Serve the chicken over rice with fresh herbs and cucumber slices.fresh mint or cilantro, thinly sliced cucumber
Notes
- Taste the marinade before tossing the chicken. Add more fish sauce for umami, lime for acidity, or sugar/honey for sweetness if needed.
- I recommend lightly scoring the chicken thighs (skin-side down) before marinating to allow the marinade to penetrate more deeply for extra flavor.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
- I recommend soaking the jasmine rice for 15-20 minutes before cooking. This improves fluffiness and reduce cooking time slightly.
- You may be tempted to peek at the rice while it cooks, but don’t remove the lid during the cook time. The rice needs to absorb all the moisture that accumulates in the pot.
- Don’t forget to fluff up the rice with a fork after it’s done cooking to give it a beautiful fluffy texture. Otherwise, it can be quite heavy and dense.
- For extra-crispy chicken skin, pat the chicken dry before searing. Moisture is the enemy of crispiness.
- Serve in a bowl with the rice on the bottom, chicken on top, and herbs and cucumber arranged around the edges for a visually appealing presentation.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
Vietnamese Chicken Marinade
I marinate these tasty Vietnamese chicken thighs in a flavorful mixture of lemongrass, shallot, garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and oil. Blitzed in the blender to make it smooth and release all those yummy flavors, it gives the chicken a sweet, tangy, and citrusy flavor that pairs so well with the creamy coconut rice.
If you have trouble finding lemongrass or fish sauce, you can use the zest of half a lemon (or an equal amount of fresh ginger) and soy, oyster, or Worcestershire sauce. While not identical, these quick swaps will produce similar results.
How to Make Vietnamese Chicken and Coconut Rice Step by Step
Make the Marinade: Add 1 stalk of roughly chopped lemongrass, 1 roughly chopped shallot, 2 cloves of peeled garlic, 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth.
Marinate the Chicken: Add 1½ pounds of skin-on chicken thighs to a bowl. Pour the blended mixture directly over the chicken, toss to combine, cover the bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.
Make the Coconut Rice: About 5 minutes before you’re ready to cook the chicken (while it’s marinating), start cooking the rice. Rinse 2 cups of dry jasmine rice under cool water until it runs clear. Then, place the rinsed rice in a pot with 14 ounces of coconut milk, 1 cup of water, 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar, and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring it to a boil, cover the pot, and simmer on low heat for about 18-20 minutes (or until all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice). Remove the rice from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.
Grill the Chicken: While the rice is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet (or grill pan) set over medium heat. Sear the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side, skin-side down, until golden.
Garnish and Serve: Serve pieces of Vietnamese marinated chicken over bowls of the coconut rice, along with fresh herbs and cucumber slices if desired.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store Vietnamese chicken thighs and coconut rice together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating on the stovetop over medium heat until fully warmed through. You can also quickly reheat this dish in the microwave for convenience.
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