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Home Quick and Easy

Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken

By:Nagi
Published:19 Oct '19Updated:30 Nov '20
444 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken (Bun Ga Nuong) is one of my signature dishes! Vermicelli noodles topped with fresh vegetables and herbs, an incredible lemongrass marinated chicken  and drizzled with Nuoc Cham, the chilli garlic sauce that’s served with everything in Vietnam!

Easy enough for midweek meals, and a sensational CHEAP meal idea for large groups! Either cook the chicken in large batches on the BBQ, or even bake them, and put out all the toppings in bowls for people to help themselves!

Close up of Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass marinated chicken in a bowl, ready to be eaten

Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken

This is a recipe that has many fond memories associated with it because it’s one of my signature recipes that I make as a meal for large groups. Other than how delicious it is (and the Vietnamese lemongrass marinade really is exceptional!), here’s why it’s one of my all time favourite recipes:

  • it’s cheap and simple to make
  • can be fully prepared ahead (including the noodles and chopping the vegetables)
  • it’s gluten free (cater for dietary requirements)
  • healthy
  • versatile – use the same marinade for tofu, prawns/shrimp, fish, other meats
  • easy to serve a crowd – chicken can be cooked in large batches on the BBQ, or even baked
  • no assembly – lay all the components out on the table for people to help themselves

Camping, on boats, weekends away, hen’s night – these Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken has made an appearance at many events!

Overhead photo of Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken DIY spread - meal idea for large groups

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

The entire Vietnamese noodle bowl as a whole is so delicious, but I have to say that the Lemongrass Chicken is the stand out. The marinade is fantastic. The earthy lemony flavour from the lemongrass combined with the garlic and complex savoury flavours from the fish sauce and soy sauce makes a killer flavour that will have your neighbours popping their heads over the fence if you cook this on the outdoor grill!

Close up of Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

What goes in Lemongrass Chicken

Here’s what goes in the Lemongrass Chicken.

Fresh lemongrass is best here, but if you can’t find it, then lemongrass paste works very well too.

I know some people aren’t a fan of fish sauce which is quite pungent smelling in raw form! But it’s really the “secret ingredient” here, it’s got far more complex flavours than soy sauce and adds incredible depth of flavour in the chicken. And don’t worry, it doesn’t taste fishy once cooked!

This Vietnamese lemongrass marinade is truly incredible. Everybody raves about it!

Substitute for fish sauce?

If you’re allergic to fish sauce, or really can’t get your hands on it (but please try!!), then substitute the fish sauce with more soy sauce but be aware that your marinade will lack the complexity of flavour in real Vietnamese Lemongrass marinades.

What goes in Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

Toppings and sauce

And here are the toppings for this Vietnamese Noodles bowl. Lots of fresh vegetables and herbs, and Nuoc Cham, the Vietnamese chilli garlic sauce that makes an appearance alongside everything in Vietnam (I exaggerate not!!).

Nuoc Cham is made with fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, chilli, sugar and lime juice. It’s got a wonderful balance of sweet/savoury and tang, and basically makes everything taste better – whether you drizzle or dunk things in it!

Feel free to switch up the fresh vegetables! Try snow peas, cabbage, capsicum/bell peppers and other crunchy fresh greens!

Fresh vegetables and herbs for Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken

How to make it

The making part is very straight forward. You’ll see me cook the chicken on a grill in the video – Lemongrass Chicken is traditionally cooked over charcoal in Vietnam – but you can of course cook it on the stove or even in the oven or under the broiler!

How to make Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken

Overhead photo of Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken in a bowl, ready to be eaten

This Vietnamese dish is healthy eating without compromise!

To me, these Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken is the epitome of healthy eating without compromise. Low in fat, lots of fresh salads brought to life with bright zingy flavours. The Nuoc Cham sauce has so much flavour, you can scoff down loads of the salad and go light on the chicken and noodles if you’re really wanting to cut down on the calories.

And one last tip – the marinated lemongrass chicken is perfect for popping in the freezer. So make a batch right now!! 🙂 – Nagi x


Watch how to make it

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Close up of Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass marinated chicken in a bowl, ready to be eaten

Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken

Author: Nagi
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 30 mins
Noodles
Vietnamese
4.98 from 136 votes
Servings4
Tap or hover to scale
Print
Recipe video above. This Vietnamese lemongrass marinade is exceptional - you'll absolutely love it! This is one of my siganture recipes - it's as delicious as it is healthy, ideal for making ahead, for midweek meals and a cheap (impressive) meal idea for large groups. DON'T BE DAUNTED by the list of ingredients - the ingredients for the marinade and sauce are largely the same!

Ingredients

Chicken and Marinade

  • 600 - 800g / 1.2 - 1.6lb chicken thigh fillets , skinless and boneless or breast (or pork, beef or any seafood)
  • 1 stalk lemongrass , white part only, bruised them sliced into pieces easy to pick out later (Note 1)
  • 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped or minced
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce (Note 2)
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce (all purpose or light, NOT dark soy)
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Sauce)

  • 1/4 cup fish sauce (Note 3)
  • 4 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp white sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
  • 1 red birds eye chilli , finely chopped (Note 4)
  • 3 tbsp lime juice

Noodle Bowl

  • 1/2 tbsp oil
  • 200 g / 7 oz vermicelli noodles , dried
  • 2 carrots , julienned
  • 2 cucumbers , julienned (optional: remove seeds)
  • 5 cups iceberg lettuce , finely sliced
  • 3 cups bean sprouts
  • Handful of mint leaves
  • Handful of cilantro/coriander
  • Sliced red chilli (for garnish - optional)
  • Lime wedges (to serve - optional but recommended)

Instructions

Lemongrass Chicken

  • Combine Chicken and Marinade ingredients and set aside for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours. (Note 4)
  • Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a fry pan over medium heat (or heat the BBQ). Remove chicken from marinade, shaking off large bits of lemongrass (small bits should fall off during cooking).
  • Place chicken in the pan and cook each side until dark golden brown and chicken is just cooked through - about 6 to 8 minutes in total.
  • Remove from pan, shaking off any remaining bits of visible lemongrass and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Then slice into thin pieces.

Nuoc Cham Sauce

  • Combine the Nuoc Cham ingredients and mix well to dissolve the sugar. Adjust to your taste (spiciness, lime, sweetness) and set aside for at least 20 minutes.

Assemble

  • Soak the vermicelli noodles in hot water for 3 minutes (or according to packet instructions), then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the noodles from sticking together.
  • Individual servings: Place noodles in bowl. Top with vegetables and herbs, and sliced chicken pieces. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of Nuoc Cham Sauce (be generous, ~ 4 tbsp per serving) and serve with lime wedges.
  • DIY (my preferred way): Place chicken, vegetables, herbs, noodles and sauce in separate bowls / piled on platters. Then let everyone make their own bowls!

Recipe Notes:

1. Lemongrass - to prepare, peel the tough outer layers off to reveal the softer white part on the bottom ~1/3 of the lemongrass. Bruise using the back of the knife (see video). Don't slice too finely or finely chop, you want the pieces large enough so you can just brush them off (lemongrass is kind of tough, it has to be very finely chopped / cooked for a long time to eat).
You could sub with 1 tbsp lemongrass paste.
2. Fish sauce is a key ingredient in a lot of Asian cooking. Don't worry, it doesn't taste fishy when combined with other ingredients! It's an incredible flavour enhancer that has more depth than salt or soy sauce and is very cheap to buy at supermarkets or Asian grocery stores (even better value!).
3. Chilli -This can be substituted with any spicy chilli or even chilli paste. Adjust to your taste.
4. CUSTOMISE:
  • Make this kid friendly by just serving the chilli on the side.
  • To make it GLUTEN FREE, ensure you use GF tamari.
  • Sub the vegetables with other vegetables of choice eg. capsicum/bell peppers, snow peas (finely sliced)
5. Freezing: Pop the chicken in the fridge as soon as it's in the marinade. Then let it defrost in the fridge - it will marinate during this time.
6. DIY Noodle Bowl Spread: Pile all the components on a large platter or separate bowls and let guests serve themselves. That's how I typically serve this.
7. Nutrition per serving.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 653gCalories: 540cal (27%)Carbohydrates: 65.2g (22%)Protein: 39.9g (80%)Fat: 13.6g (21%)Saturated Fat: 2.6g (16%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 75mg (25%)Sodium: 1963mg (85%)Fiber: 3.9g (16%)Sugar: 16.9g (19%)
Keywords: lemongrass chicken, vietnamese noodles
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

Originally published January 2017, updated October 2019 with a brand new spruced up video and new photos!

Get your Vietnamese food fix!

  • Bun Cha – Vietnamese Meatballs
  • Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls
  • Vietnamese Caramel Pork – another iconic Vietnamese food! Also see the Chicken version.
  • Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls – the super quick version of the above
  • Vietnamese Noodle Salad with Shrimp/Prawns
  • Vietnamese Chicken Salad
  • Browse all Vietnamese recipes

And more of my favourite Asian Chicken marinades

All these are ideal for grilling but can also be cooked on the stove

  • Real Teriyaki Chicken –  on my mother’s Japanese recipe website, RecipeTin Japan. Crispy skin, no oil – way better than westernised versions!
  • Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang) – marinated in a fragrant Thai marinade
  • Thai Coconut Chicken – added richness and flavour from a coconut marinade
  • Asian Chicken – marinated in a great Asian marinade that’s sweet sand savoury
  • Sticky Baked Chinese Chicken Wings – use this marinade on breast and thighs!
  • Chinese Chicken (Char Siu!) – Chinese BBQ chicken

Life of Dozer

Yes, that’s the tripod that holds my camera worth several thousand dollars…..don’t stand up Dozer!!!

dozer_-51

Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken (Bun Ga Nuong) - The popular Vietnamese dish made with Vermicelli noodles topped with fresh vegetables, lemongrass marinated chicken and drizzled with Nuoc Cham. Absolutely lip smackingly delicious! recipetineats.com
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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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444 Comments

  1. Kirsty Andrews says

    February 27, 2021 at 3:47 pm

    5 stars
    Nagi, you are a food angel flown down from heaven and this dish is, without a doubt, THE BEST THING TO EVER GRACE MY TASTEBUDS!!! Seriously packed with flavour….it’s a zingy, crunchy, fresh and healthy joy-of-a-dish to eat. I would happily eat this everyday of the week!!!😋😋😋👍👍👍

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 1, 2021 at 10:42 am

      😂 Thanks so much Kirsty!! N x

      Reply
  2. Lia says

    February 26, 2021 at 1:40 am

    5 stars
    Thanks for sharing this recipe, Nagi. It’s cheap, healthy, and taste like a restaurant! ❤️

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 26, 2021 at 11:20 am

      I’m so glad you love it Lia! N x

      Reply
  3. Rachel Bloom says

    February 25, 2021 at 6:37 am

    I am having trouble finding the red birds eye chili pepper. Is there a substitute for this?

    Reply
  4. Louise says

    February 24, 2021 at 11:16 pm

    5 stars
    This was super tasty – the chicken also went excellently as the meat in your banh mi recipe 🙂
    My only comment would be that, if possible, a length of lemongrass might be better than 1 stalk? Looking at the photo, my stalk is about 1/3 the length of yours – so there’s definitely less white part!
    Thank you for all your amazing and really well explained recipes!!

    Reply
  5. Hannah says

    February 22, 2021 at 7:00 pm

    4 tablespoon is the same as a quarter cup

    Reply
  6. Andrea says

    February 22, 2021 at 12:45 pm

    5 stars
    My son never has seconds when there’s chicken. With this recipe he asked for more! Absolutely delicious.

    Reply
  7. Neha Shah-Poojara says

    February 15, 2021 at 1:32 am

    5 stars
    Made this today as a valentines day surprise for my husband and he absolutely loved it! Reminded us so much of our trip to Vietnam. Thank you so much Nagi for such easy to follow recipes that are just so jam packed with flavour.

    Reply
  8. Donna says

    February 1, 2021 at 3:14 pm

    5 stars
    Bloody Delicious 🖤

    Reply
  9. Nicole says

    January 28, 2021 at 6:52 pm

    I think my husband loves me even more after making this for him! Haha! He said he would like to eat this every week for the rest of his life!…. so I think it’s safe to say this was a big winner in our household! Thanks Nagi!

    Reply
  10. Marjorie Rego says

    January 17, 2021 at 1:51 pm

    5 stars
    Amazing as always Nagi. The chicken was sensational!

    Reply
  11. Collette Brown says

    January 11, 2021 at 6:27 am

    5 stars
    This Lemongrass Chicken with Vermicelli Noodles is always a hit! The marinade is amazing! All the flavours make it a favourite in our house and it’s so easy to prepare.

    Reply
  12. Anne says

    January 4, 2021 at 9:53 pm

    5 stars
    Wow! Delicious
    A family hit.

    Reply
  13. Alysia Song says

    December 30, 2020 at 11:58 pm

    5 stars
    Made this for my in-laws and it was a huge hit with the entire family. So simple but packed with flavour. Thanks for this recipe!

    Reply
  14. Luma Jaguar says

    December 30, 2020 at 6:44 am

    5 stars
    delicious easy and healthy!

    Reply
  15. Diane Brunjes says

    December 16, 2020 at 12:40 pm

    5 stars
    This is sooo good! The marinade was amazing, and everything tasted so fresh! Next time, I will have mint on hand to recreate the experience of a true Vietnamese restaurant! Am definitely going to check out your other recipes.

    Reply
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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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