Fiery, fragrant, bursting with flavors, Gà Xào Xả Ớt / Gà Xào Sả Ớt (Vietnamese Spicy Lemongrass Chicken or Vietnamese Stir-fried Lemongrass Chicken) is a popular rice-accompaniment dish in Vietnam.
It’s a true rice thief, tempting you to indulge in more rice.
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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 in the U.S., Stir-fried Lemongrass Chicken is actually what we often eat in Vietnam. Since ovens are not widely used in Vietnam, the stir-frying method is more convenient for Vietnamese moms when preparing family meals.
Compared to the grilled version, stir-fried lemongrass chicken boasts heightened boldness from the blend of hot chili and lemongrass, while the grilled chicken stands out with its smoky aroma.
Related Recipes | More tasty Vietnamese recipes with chicken
(Cơm Gà Hải Nam)
(Gà Kho Gừng)
(Gỏi Gà)
(Cà Ri Gà)
Why you will love this recipe?
- Authentic Vietnamese Flavor: Enjoy the true taste of Vietnam with aromatic lemongrass, fiery chilies, and juicy chicken. You will need a lot of steamed rice with it, I promise 😎.
- Simple Ingredients: Lemongrass and chili take the spotlight, creating a delicious blend without the fuss.
- Super Easy-to-Make: In just 30 minutes, you’ll have a satisfying dish.
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: The star of this recipe, fresh or frozen lemongrass works equally well. Frozen minced lemongrass is also a perfect alternative.
- Chili: Thai bird’s eye chilies are popular in Vietnam for this dish, 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, a fundamental ingredient.
- 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.
Variations & Tips
- Feel free to swap chicken for pork or beef.
- The initial recipe calls for Thai bird’s eye chili, but if you can’t handle well spicy food, you can replace it with Goat Horn chili.
- Short on time for cooking rice? Try my instructions on microwaved jasmine rice.
More Tasty Recipes with Lemongrass
Lemongrass is a staple herb in Vietnamese cuisine, widely used in BBQ, stews, and stir-fries.
for Cơm Tấm (Broken Rice)
(Vietnamese Beef Stew with Tapioca Noodles)
Gà Xào Xả Ớt (Vietnamese Spicy 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.
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