This glorious Lemongrass Chicken Noodle Bowls recipe just screams of summer and the way that I like to serve it, perfect for a small crowd. I marinate succulent and tender thigh pieces in a fragrant and tangy lemongrass infused marinade (for at least four hours for maximum flavour) and then do a big old platter of fresh crunchy salad items. A large bowl of slippery glass noodles, a tangy Vietnamese dressing and some toasted peanuts for crunch and your guests will be fighting each other off to build their own Lemongrass Chicken Noodle Bowls, exactly the way they like them. The leftovers are an added bonus the next day so make sure you over cater, which is never a problem in my house.
Prep time: 40 Minutes
Marinating time: 4 Hours (minimum)
Cooking time: 20 Minutes
$$ Medium Budget
Serves 8-10 (multiply the recipe to feed more)
1.2kg chicken thigh fillets
2 lemongrass stalks, finely sliced
2 long red chillies, finely minced (seeds removed for less heat)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs of light soy sauce
4 tbs of fish sauce
Juice of 2 limes
3 tbs of brown sugar
2 tbs of vegetable oil
For the Bowls & Garnish:
6 portions of rice stick noodles, softened according to packet instructions
1 cup of unsalted peanuts, toasted in a dry pan
Lime or Lemon wedges to serve
For the Salad Platter:
2 Lebanese cucumbers, halved & seeds removed, sliced diagonally
2 carrots, peeled & finely julienned
1 punnet each of red & yellow grape tomatoes, halved
1 packet of bean sprouts
Iceberg lettuce leaves, finely shredded
1 cup each of mint leaves, Thai basil leaves, coriander leaves, tossed and refreshed in iced water
1 red onion, peeled & halved, finely sliced top to bottom
For the Nuoc Cham: (Vietnamese Dressing)
1/2 cup of fish sauce
5 tbs of rice wine vinegar
2-3 heaped tbs of caster sugar (add to taste, should be hot, salty, sweet & sour)
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 long red chillies, seeds removed and finely minced
Juice of 2 limes
Combine the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the chicken thighs in a shallow ceramic dish or glass baking tray. Cover with a lid or cling film and marinate for at least four hours.
While the chicken is marinating, prepare all of your salad items. I like to place the cucumber, carrots & bean sprouts & herbs in seperate bowls of iced water in the fridge for maximum crunch. This is not essential but really makes a difference to the freshness of the veggies. I drain them well and then place them in piles on a large platter along with the tomatoes, Iceberg lettuce and red onion slices just before serving.
Place the minced chillies and garlic in a bowl and whisk well with the remaining ingredients for the dressing, until the sugar is well dissolved. Have a taste and adjust the amount of sugar or lime, according to taste. Trust me, you will know when it is perfect! Pour the dressing into a bowl or jug.
Prepare the noodles according to packet instructions. I like to soak them in cold water for 10-15 minutes, drain and then pour over boiling water. Drain again and run under cold water in the strainer. Place them in a bowl to serve.
Heat a BBQ to nice and hot and cook the Lemongrass Chicken for about 8-10 minutes either side. Because of the sugar content in the marinade, the outside can burn so keep it moving around. A bit of char is always good for flavour so don’t be too precious and pour over the remaining marinade during the cooking process. Once the chicken is cooked through (after about 20 minutes), place in a baking tray to rest for a few minutes before slicing into strips to serve.
I find the best way to serve is to line everything up on the kitchen bench or table and allow people to help themselves. If they need a lesson on how to build their own Lemongrass Chicken Noodle Bowls, be sure to put your hand up and go first!
Do you just love Vietnamese food? You may like to cook this……
Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that are at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.