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Restaurants›Vietnamese Street Kitchen›Lemongrass Chilli Chicken Salad Recipe

Lemongrass Chilli Chicken Salad Recipe

Name: Vietnamese Street Kitchens Lemongrass Chilli Chicken Salad Recipe
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1 lb bone-in or boneless chicken thighs; 3 tbsp fresh lemongrass stalks (white lower portion), finely minced; 3 cloves garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated; 1 tsp bird's eye chilli or red chilli, finely chopped (adjust to heat preference); 2 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp lime juice; 1 tbsp brown sugar or palm sugar; 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or neutral oil); 1 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 6 cups mixed salad greens (butter lettuce, romaine, or mixed leaves); 0.5 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped; 0.25 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped; 0.25 cup fresh Thai basil or basil (optional), torn; 0.5 cup cucumber, thinly sliced or ribboned; 0.25 cup red onion, very thinly sliced (soaked in cold water 5 min to mellow); 0.5 cup ripe cherry tomatoes, halved; 0.5 cup carrot, julienned or shredded; 3 tbsp fresh lime juice; 1.5 tbsp fish sauce; 2 tsp light brown sugar; 0.5 tsp finely minced garlic; 0.5 tsp finely minced red chilli (or 1/2 tsp chilli flakes); 1 tbsp neutral oil (sesame oil optional, use sparingly); 1 tbsp water (to loosen dressing); 0.5 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped; 2 tbsp fried shallots or crunchy shallot crisps (optional); 2 pieces lime wedges

Inspired by Vietnamese Street Kitchen

Time1h 30m

Serves4

24-hour marinated grilled chicken thigh, herbs, peanuts, house dressing.

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Ingredients

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Marinated Chicken

1 lb bone-in or boneless chicken thighs

3 tbsp fresh lemongrass stalks (white lower portion), finely minced

3 cloves Garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp Fresh ginger, grated

1 tsp bird's eye chilli or red chilli, finely chopped (adjust to heat preference)

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp Fish sauce

1 tbsp ReaLime juice

1 tbsp brown sugar or palm sugar

2 tbsp vegetable oil (or neutral oil)

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground

Salad & Herbs

6 cups mixed salad greens (butter lettuce, romaine, or mixed leaves)

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped

1/4 cup fresh Thai basil or basil (optional), torn

1/2 cup cucumber, thinly sliced or ribboned

1/4 cup red onion, very thinly sliced (soaked in cold water 5 min to mellow)

1/2 cup ripe cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup carrot, julienned or shredded

House Dressing

3 tbsp Fresh lime juice

1 1/2 tbsp Fish sauce

2 tsp light brown sugar

1/2 tsp finely minced garlic

1/2 tsp finely minced red chilli (or 1/2 tsp chilli flakes)

1 tbsp neutral oil (sesame oil optional, use sparingly)

1 tbsp water (to loosen dressing)

Crunch & Garnish

1/2 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

2 tbsp fried shallots or crunchy shallot crisps (optional)

2 pieces Lime wedges

1 tsp fresh red chilli slices (for garnish)

Method

Marinated Chicken

Prepare marinade

In a bowl, combine minced lemongrass, minced garlic, grated ginger, chopped bird's eye chilli, light soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, vegetable oil, kosher salt and black pepper. Stir until sugar dissolves and mixture is homogenous.

Marinate chicken

Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and pat dry. Place thighs in a resealable bag or shallow container. Pour marinade over the chicken, ensuring each piece is well coated. Seal or cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally 24 hours for best flavor penetration. Turn once halfway through marination.

Grill or pan-sear

Remove chicken from fridge 20 minutes before cooking to come closer to room temperature. Preheat grill to medium-high (about 400°F / 200°C) or heat a heavy skillet/grill pan over medium-high heat with 1 tbsp oil. Grill chicken skin-side down (if skin-on) for 6–8 minutes until well charred, then flip and cook 5–8 minutes more until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). For boneless thighs, reduce time by a few minutes. Rest chicken 5–8 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain into bite-sized pieces.

House Dressing

Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, light brown sugar, minced garlic and minced red chilli in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Whisk in neutral oil, then add water 1 teaspoon at a time to reach a balanced, pourable consistency. Taste and adjust: add more sugar if too salty, more lime if too sharp, or a pinch more fish sauce for umami.

Salad & Assembly

Prepare salad base by combining mixed salad greens, cilantro, mint, Thai basil (if using), cucumber, red onion (drained after soaking), cherry tomatoes and carrot in a large bowl. Toss gently to mix.

Drizzle about half of the house dressing over the salad and toss lightly to coat the leaves evenly. Reserve the remaining dressing to dress individual plates or for guests to add more.

Arrange sliced grilled lemongrass chilli chicken over the dressed salad. Sprinkle chopped roasted peanuts and fried shallots over the top for crunch. Garnish with thin red chilli slices and lime wedges on the side.

Serve immediately so the greens remain crisp. Offer remaining dressing at the table.