Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken with Rice Noodles (Bun Ga Nuong)

Name: Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken with Rice Noodles (Bun Ga Nuong)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: vietnamese
Ingredients: 600 g boneless skinless chicken thighs; 2 pcs lemongrass stalks, finely minced (white part only); 3 cloves garlic cloves, minced; 1 pc shallot, finely chopped; 2 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce; 1.5 tbsp brown sugar or cane sugar; 1 tbsp neutral canola oil; 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 3 tbsp fish sauce; 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice; 2.5 tbsp granulated sugar; 1 dl warm water; 1 clove garlic clove, minced; 1 pc red bird's eye chili, finely chopped; 250 g thin rice noodles (vermicelli); 1 pc carrot, cut into thin matchsticks; 0.5 pc cucumber, thinly sliced into half-moons; 65 g bean sprouts; 1 pc potted fresh mint, leaves roughly chopped; 1 pc potted fresh cilantro, roughly chopped; 3 tbsp roasted peanuts, roughly chopped; 2 tbsp crispy fried onions

By Culiora

Vietnamesisk citrongräskyckling med risnudlar (Bun Ga Nuong) served on a plate, photographed in natural light

A classic Vietnamese noodle salad featuring juicy chicken marinated in lemongrass, garlic, and fish sauce. Served over a bed of chilled rice vermicelli, crisp vegetables, and fresh herbs, accompanied by a sweet and tangy Nuoc Cham dressing.

Servings: 4
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min

Ingredients

600 g boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 pcs lemongrass stalks, finely minced (white part only)
3 cloves garlic cloves, minced
1 pc shallot, finely chopped
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
1.5 tbsp brown sugar or cane sugar
1 tbsp neutral canola oil
0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2.5 tbsp granulated sugar
1 dl warm water
1 clove garlic clove, minced
1 pc red bird's eye chili, finely chopped
250 g thin rice noodles (vermicelli)
1 pc carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
0.5 pc cucumber, thinly sliced into half-moons
65 g bean sprouts
1 pc potted fresh mint, leaves roughly chopped
1 pc potted fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
3 tbsp roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
2 tbsp crispy fried onions

Instructions

Trim away the woody outer layers of the lemongrass and finely mince the lower white part, or pound it into a coarse paste with the shallot and garlic using a mortar and pestle.
In a bowl, mix together the lemongrass, garlic, shallot, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, canola oil, and black pepper. Coat the chicken thighs in the marinade and let sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature (or up to 8 hours in the refrigerator).
Prepare the dressing (nuoc cham): Stir the sugar into the warm water until completely dissolved. Add the fish sauce and lime juice. Finally, stir in the minced garlic and red chili. Taste and adjust—it should strike a balanced harmony of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy.
Cook the rice noodles according to package instructions (typically 2-3 minutes in plenty of boiling water). Drain in a colander and rinse thoroughly under ice-cold water to wash off excess starch and prevent sticking. Drain well.
Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high to high heat (or prepare an outdoor grill). Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes per side until deeply browned, caramelized, and the internal temperature reaches 72-74 °C. Let rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes before slicing into 1 cm thick strips.
Divide the cold rice noodles among four deep bowls. Top each with the warm sliced chicken.
Arrange the julienned carrots, sliced cucumber, bean sprouts, and generous heaps of fresh mint and cilantro around the chicken. Garnish with chopped roasted peanuts and fried onions. Serve the dressing on the side so each person can drizzle it over and toss their own bowl.