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Lemongrass Chicken turns an ordinary weeknight into something special, with juicy grilled chicken thighs soaked in a bright marinade of lemongrass, lime, garlic, and a little fish sauce. I first made this *one warm spring evening* when I wanted big flavor without much effort, and it has been on regular rotation ever since. If you love bold, fresh dinners, serve it over our easy coconut rice for a meal everyone asks for again.
The marinade does all the work, so a few minutes of prep gives you tender, deeply flavorful chicken straight off the grill.
Lemongrass Chicken Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 12 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 4 hours 22 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 371kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Bright, savory, and citrusy with fragrant lemongrass and a touch of sweet
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, as simple as our baked lemon garlic chicken thighs
Quick Answer
To make lemongrass chicken, blend lemongrass, shallot, garlic, lime juice and zest, brown sugar, oil, soy sauce, and fish sauce into a smooth marinade. Pour it over boneless chicken thighs, marinate at least 4 hours, then grill over medium-high heat for about 6 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Serve immediately.
Jump to:
- Lemongrass Chicken Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Lemongrass Chicken
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Lemongrass Chicken FAQs
- Other Recommended Asian Recipes
- Grilled Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Fresh lemongrass leads. Blending the tender white part of the stalk releases its bright, citrusy aroma into every piece of chicken.
- Fish sauce adds depth. A little fish sauce brings savory umami that makes the marinade taste restaurant-worthy.
- Thighs stay juicy. Boneless chicken thighs handle high grill heat without drying out, unlike leaner breasts.
- Brown sugar helps it char. A touch of sugar caramelizes on the grill for those craveable smoky-sweet edges.
- A long marinade pays off. Four hours, or overnight, lets the lemongrass and lime soak deep into the meat.
- The processor does the work. Blitzing the marinade smooth means no tedious mincing and even flavor throughout.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is packed with bright, bold flavor that tastes like takeout but is made fresh at home.
- The hands-on time is tiny, just blend, marinate, and grill.
- It is endlessly versatile, delicious over our coconut rice, in bowls, or tucked into lettuce wraps.
Key Ingredients
Here is what gives this lemongrass chicken its signature flavor. Just a handful of fresh, punchy ingredients.
- Lemongrass: Use only the tender white base of the stalk for the brightest, most citrusy flavor. Peel away the tough outer layers first.
- Chicken Thighs: Boneless, skinless thighs stay juicy on the grill and soak up the marinade beautifully.
- Fish Sauce: Just a little adds savory, salty depth. It is the secret to that authentic flavor.
- Lime: Both the juice and the zest brighten the marinade with fresh, zippy citrus.
- Brown Sugar: Balances the salty and sour notes and helps the chicken caramelize on the grill.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This lemongrass chicken is easy to adapt to what you have and how you like to cook.
- Bake it instead: Roast in a 425 degree F oven for about 20 to 25 minutes if you do not want to fire up the grill.
- Use chicken breasts: Swap in boneless breasts, but pound them even and watch closely so they do not dry out.
- Make it spicy: Add a sliced Thai chili or a spoonful of our homemade chili oil to the marinade.
- Turn it into bowls: Slice and serve over rice with herbs and pickled veggies, like a fresh take on our Thai basil stir-fry.
- Try it as lettuce wraps: Chop the grilled chicken and tuck it into crisp lettuce leaves with extra lime.
How to Make Lemongrass Chicken
- Add the lemongrass, shallot, garlic, lime juice and zest, brown sugar, oil, soy sauce, and fish sauce to a food processor.
- Process until smooth.
- Add the boneless chicken thighs to a large bowl.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss to coat.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
- Grill over medium-high heat for about 6 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, then serve immediately.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use only the white part of the lemongrass, trimming away the woody top and tough outer layers for the smoothest flavor.
- Marinate at least 4 hours, but overnight gives the deepest flavor and most tender chicken.
- Oil your grill grates well so the chicken gets clean grill marks instead of sticking.
- Cook to 165 degrees F using an instant-read thermometer for perfectly juicy thighs.
- Discard the used marinade, since it touched raw chicken. Make a little extra fresh if you want a sauce.
- Let the chicken rest a few minutes after grilling so the juices stay in the meat.
- Double the marinade and freeze half with raw chicken for an easy future dinner.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Lemongrass chicken is bright, savory, and endlessly flexible. Serve it hot off the grill over steamed jasmine rice or our easy coconut rice with a squeeze of fresh lime and a handful of cilantro.
For a full Southeast Asian spread, pair it with our Thai red curry soup to start and a drizzle of homemade chili oil for heat. It also slices beautifully into rice bowls with cucumbers and pickled carrots.
Love bold chicken dinners? Add our butter chicken and baked lemon garlic chicken thighs to your rotation for more easy, flavor-packed meals.
Lemongrass Chicken FAQs
Lemongrass chicken is a Vietnamese-style dish of chicken marinated in a fragrant blend of lemongrass, garlic, lime, and fish sauce, then grilled until juicy and lightly charred. It is bright, savory, and full of fresh flavor.
Use only the tender, pale white base of the stalk. Trim off the woody green top and peel away the tough outer layers, then blend or finely mince the inner part.
Yes. Bake it in a 425 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or cook it in a hot grill pan or skillet for about 6 minutes per side until it reaches 165 degrees F.
Marinate for at least 4 hours so the flavors soak in, and up to overnight for the most tender, deeply flavored chicken. Avoid going much past 24 hours, as the lime can start to break down the meat.
Yes, but thighs stay juicier on the grill. If you use breasts, pound them to an even thickness and watch closely so they do not overcook and dry out.
It is delicious over jasmine or coconut rice, in rice bowls with herbs and pickled vegetables, or wrapped in lettuce leaves. A bright dipping sauce or extra lime rounds it out.
Hungry for more? Our Pad Kra Pao is another fast, flavor-packed dinner worth adding to your weeknight lineup.
Grilled Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 stalks lemongrass tender white part only*
- 1 large shallot ¼ inch sliced, skin removed
- 4 large cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons lime juice fresh squeezed
- zest of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
Instructions
- Place the lemongrass, shallot, garlic, lime juice, lime zest, brown sugar, oil, soy sauce, and fish sauce into a food processor.2 stalks lemongrass, 1 large shallot, 4 large cloves garlic, 3 tablespoons lime juice, zest of 1 lime, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- Process until smooth.
- Add the chicken to a large bowl.2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Pour the marinade over the chicken. Toss to combine.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge—Marinate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
- When ready to cook, prepare the grill over medium-high heat.
- Cook the chicken thighs, discarding leftover marinade, for about 6 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Prep Lemongrass Right – Peel off the tough stuff and use just the soft white part—it’s the secret ingredient for that flavor pop!
- Marinate Longer – Let it sit overnight if you can. The best flavor comes with patience (unlike me waiting for cookies).
- Check the Temp – Use a thermometer to hit that 165°F internal temperature. No guesswork, just perfect chicken!
- Oil the Grill – Brush your grill pan or grates with oil so nothing sticks. Cleanup’s bad enough already!
- Slice Shallots Thin – Keep those shallot pieces small so they blend smooth in the food processor.
- Rest It – Let the chicken sit a minute after grilling—it keeps the juices locked in for juicy meat.
Nutrition
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