Fiery, fragrant, bursting with flavors, Gà Xào Xả Ớt / Gà Xào Sả Ớt (Vietnamese Stir-fried Spicy Lemongrass Chicken) is a popular rice-accompaniment dish in Vietnam.
It’s a true rice thief, tempting you to indulge in more rice.
Gà Xào Xả Ớt (Vietnamese Spicy Lemongrass Chicken)
In Vietnamese, “Gà“ means chicken, and “Xào Sả Ớt“ refers to stir-frying with lemongrass and chili.
While grilled lemongrass chicken is popular abroad and pairs wonderfully with rice, rice noodles, or even a banh mi, the stir-fried version is what we often enjoy in everyday Vietnamese meals with steamed rice.
Since ovens aren’t common in Vietnam, stir-frying is the go-to method for busy moms to prepare quick, flavorful family dinners.
Compared to the smoky charm of grilled chicken, this stir-fried dish hits bolder notes with its fiery chili and fragrant lemongrass.
Related Recipes | More Tasty Recipes with Lemongrass:
(Rice noodle salad with Vietnamese grilled pork)
(Rice noodle salad with stir-fried beef)
Ingredients
- Chicken: In Vietnam, bone-in chicken pieces are traditional, but boneless chicken thighs can also be used. Chicken breasts are an option too, but be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Lemongrass: Fresh or frozen lemongrass works equally well.
- Chili: Thai bird’s eye chilies are popular in Vietnam for Gà Xào Sả Ớt, but if you prefer less heat, goat horn chili and red pepper can be substituted.
- Ginger, Shallots, and Garlic: Aromatic ingredients like ginger, shallots, and garlic are essential in Vietnamese cuisine and bring depth to the dish.
- Fish Sauce: Most Vietnamese dish is not complete without fish sauce.
- Lime leaves or Kaffir leaves (optional but highly recommended): Lime leaves and chicken create a perfect combination in Vietnamese cuisine (there’s even a folk saying about this pairing). Lime leaves are also commonly added to chicken phở.
- Other Ingredients: Cooking oil, oyster sauce, sugar.
Instructions
- Prep & Marinate: Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Mince garlic, shallots, ginger, and lemongrass; slice chili and julienne kaffir lime leaves. Marinate chicken with fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and half of the aromatics for 15 minutes.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat oil in a pan. Stir-fry the remaining lemongrass until golden, then add the rest of the garlic, shallots, ginger, and chili. Cook until fragrant.
- Cook & Simmer: Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry over medium-high heat until browned. Pour in a splash of water, cover, and let it simmer until tender and the sauce thickens.
- Finish & Serve: Stir in kaffir lime leaves, adjust seasoning, and serve the spicy, aromatic chicken hot with steamed rice.
Prep & Marinate
Sauté Aromatics
Cook & Simmer
Finish & Serve
How to Serve
Spicy lemongrass chicken tastes best when paired with steamed rice — jasmine or sticky rice.
You could pair it with a light soup like Canh Chua or Canh Bi Do and a veggie side like Do Chua for a complete Vietnamese meal.
Jasmine rice: simply microwaved steamed jasmine rice
Sticky rice: fragrant pandan sticky rice, Instant Pot sticky rice
More Main Dish Ideas for a Vietnamese Daily Meal
Thịt Kho –Northern Vietnamese Braised Pork and Eggs or Southern Vietnamese Pork & Egs with Coconut Water
Thịt Kho Tiêu – Caramelized Pork with Black Pepper
Gà Kho Gừng – Caramelized Chicken with Ginger
Sườn Ram Mặn – Caramelized Pork Ribs
Cá Kho – Caramelized Catfish
Cá Chiên – Vietnamese Fried Fish
Trứng Chiên – Vietnamese Omelette
Gà Xào Xả Ớt (Spicy Stir-fried Lemongrass Chicken)
Ingredients
- 1 lb deboned chicken thighs (450g)
- 4 stalks lemongrass
- 2 big clove garlic
- 1 big shallot
- 1 thumb-sized piece ginger
- 1-2 Kaffir leaves (optional)
- 2 Thai bird's eye chilis
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ⅓ cup water (80ml)
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Finely mince the garlic, shallots, ginger, and lemongrass. (Chop them by hand or use a food processor)
- Slice the chili. Remove the stems from the kaffir leaves, then chop or julienne them.
- Marinate the chicken with fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and half of the minced garlic, ginger, shallots, and lemongrass. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
- Heat cooking oil in a pan. Add the remaining minced lemongrass and stir-fry until it turns slightly golden. Incorporate the rest of the shallots, ginger, garlic, and all of the chili. Sauté until the aroma is released.
- Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry over medium-high heat until the chicken pieces acquire a nice brown color.
- Pour water into the pan, cover it with a lid, and let the chicken simmer over a medium heat.
- Once the sauce has thickened, adjust its flavor as needed and add the kaffir leaves. Thoroughly combine all the ingredients.
- Finally, serve the aromatic chicken while it's still piping hot, accompanied by steamed rice.
[…] Get the full recipe here. […]