Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

VIETNAMESE LEMONGRASS CHICKEN

The most flavorful and aromatic Asian chicken dish I’ve ever had. It’s a breeze to put together, and there’s no fuss.

Vietnamese lemongrass chicken was included in an article on Vietnamese recipes in a recent copy of Food & Wine magazine.

Even though I don’t think this is the most authentic lemongrass chicken recipe, the caramelized sweetness of the dish made up for it.

Because I still have some last-minute shopping to do, I won’t be writing a long article, but I will leave you with this delicious recipe for Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken instead.

Each serving of this recipe contains only 347 calories.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 pounds of boneless and skinless chicken breast/thigh
• 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
• 3 cloves of crushed garlic
• 3 tablespoons of water
• 3 tablespoons of cooking oil
• 2 minced stalks of fresh lemongrass
• 1 tablespoon of curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1 large thinly sliced shallot
• 3 seeded and minced chilies
• 1 scallion

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. This recipe calls for 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar in addition to the fish sauce and garlic in a bowl. Toss in the chicken to coat completely.
2. Stirring constantly, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of water and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a small skillet until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. A rich golden caramel will form if you don’t stir the mixture.
3. Stir the remaining tablespoons of water and remove from the heat. Place in a bowl and serve.
4. Prepare a wok by heating it to a high temperature. Add the oil and bring the mixture to a boil. Take care to stir-fry the ingredients for a few minutes until they become aromatic. Sauté until slightly thickened.
5. Add chicken and caramel and stir-fry until cooked through. Serve in a dish with the scallion on top. Steamed white rice is a perfect side dish to go with this dish.