Go Back
–+ servings
An image of Air Fryer Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken served on a plate. The chicken is marinated in a blend of lemongrass, garlic, scallions, and other spices. It is garnished with green onion oil and herbs and served with rice.

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken (Gà Nướng Xả)

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken is both delicious and simple to make, ideal for quick dinners or gatherings. Plus, my recipe ensures no awkward lemongrass lumps.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 3 hours
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Servings: 2
Author: Cielle

Ingredients

Marinating chicken

  • 1.1 lb deboned chicken thighs (chicken legs) (500g)
  • 1 stalk lemongrass
  • 1 big clove garlic
  • 1 sprig scallion
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce (to your taste)
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce (to your taste)
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar (or honey) (to your taste)
  • 1 tbsp coconut milk (or cooking oil)

Side dishes

  • Rice noodles (recommended)
  • Vietnamese dipping fish sauce (Nước Chấm) (recommended)
  • Vietnamese pickled daikon and carrots (Đồ Chua) (recommended)
  • Thinly sliced leafy salad (recommended)
  • Chopped roasted peanuts (optional)
  • Vietnamese scallion oil (optional)
  • Thinly-sliced cucumber (optional)
  • Mung bean sprouts (optional)

Instructions

  • Blend the lemongrass stalk, scallions, garlic with 2-3 tbsp of water. This technique ensures that you won't bite any unpleasant lumps of lemongrass
  • Marinade the chicken with all these ingredients: fish sauce, soy sauce, the previous blended aromatics, coconut milk, black sugar (or honey). Set aside for at least 3 hour, up to 24 hours (I often leave it overnight in the fridge).
    Instructions for Air Fryer Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken - Ga Nuong Sa
  • Allow the chicken to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking. Ensure to remove excess marinade from the chicken to prevent it from burning.
  • Air fry the chicken upside down for 10 minutes at 356°F (180°C). Increase the temperature to 400°F (200°C), flip the chicken, then air fry it for another 5 minutes.
    Instructions for Air Fryer Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken - Ga Nuong Sa
  • If you're using an oven, preheat it to 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes. Next, place the chicken on a grill rack with the drip tray underneath, and bake it for 15-20 minutes or until it's beautifully golden brown and delicious.
  • Enjoy the grilled chicken with rice noodles and all accompaniments.
    An image of Air Fryer Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken served on a plate. The chicken is marinated in a blend of lemongrass, garlic, scallions, and other spices. It is garnished with green onion oil and herbs and served with rice.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!