Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken
Vietnamese lemongrass chicken is a fragrant main course of whole chicken legs marinated in lemongrass, fish sauce, garlic and dark soy sauce. The Thermomix grinds the aromatic marinade to a fine paste in seconds, ensuring every piece of chicken is coated in authentic Vietnamese flavour before cooking.
About this recipe
Vietnamese lemongrass chicken Thermomix TM7 brings the street-food flavours of Hanoi straight into your kitchen with remarkably little effort. Anyone searching for Vietnamese chicken recipes or an all-in-one kitchen machine solution for a quick weeknight dinner will appreciate how the TM7 handles the hardest part: transforming fibrous fresh lemongrass stalks, garlic cloves and shallots into a silky marinade paste in seconds. Whole chicken legs absorb the mixture of fish sauce, dark soy sauce, curry powder and sugar deeply, resulting in caramelised, aromatic meat with tender juicy flesh. The balanced sweetness and saltiness, lifted by citrusy lemongrass, makes this main course a standout for family dinners or casual entertaining. Instead of chopping by hand and scrubbing a sticky board, you simply grind, mix and marinate in one bowl, leaving more time to enjoy the fragrant results with steamed rice.
Preparation tips
- Tip 1: Bruise the lemongrass stalks lightly before adding them to the mixing bowl so the fibres break down faster into a smooth paste that clings to the chicken legs.
- Tip 2: Marinate the chicken legs in the fridge for at least two hours, or overnight, so the fish sauce and dark soy sauce penetrate deeply for maximum flavour.
- Tip 3: If fresh lemongrass is unavailable, use lemongrass paste from a jar, reducing the quantity slightly, and add a little lime zest to keep the citrus notes bright.
Recipe variations
- Variation 1: For a gluten-free version, replace the dark soy sauce with tamari and check that the fish sauce is gluten-free; the lemongrass marinade stays equally aromatic and balanced.
- Variation 2: For a festive variant, swap the chicken legs for chicken wings and serve them as a party snack with a dipping sauce of fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and chopped chilli.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- Grinding mastery - The Thermomix grinds fibrous lemongrass stalks into a fine aromatic paste in seconds. [Grinding]. [Multi-Function]
- Weighing accuracy - Weigh fish sauce and dark soy sauce directly in the mixing bowl with the built-in TM7 scale. [Weighing]. [Built-in Scale]
- Fine chopping - The TM7 chops garlic cloves and shallots uniformly so the marinade coats chicken evenly. [Chopping]. [Multi-Function]
- Even blending - The Thermomix mixes curry powder and sugar into a homogeneous marinade without lumps. [Mixing]. [Multi-Function]
- Gentle heating - The TM7 warms the oil and marinade precisely so the flavours infuse without burning. [Heating]. [Precision Control]
Ingredients
- whole chicken legs
- fish sauce
- garlic cloves
- curry powder
- salt
- sugar
- dark soy sauce
- cooking oil
- fresh lemongrass
- shallots