Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Thighs

Vietnamese Grilled Chicken with Coconut Milk

Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Thighs

Vietnamese grilled chicken thighs are infused with flavor using a delicious marinade seasoned with lemongrass, coconut milk, lime, ginger, soy sauce, and a touch of brown sugar. Marinate 1 hour to overnight then grill! Serve with rice or noodles and veggies for an easy, flavorful meal.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Asian

Recipe Type Chicken, Grilled, Healthy Choices, Lemon, Served Hot, Summer

Skill Level Easy

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 12

Marinate Time 1

Total Time 1 32

Servings

Calories 397kcal

Author Angela G.

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8 thighs)
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon soy sauce
¼ cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce or garlic chili sauce more or less to adjust spice
2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoon ginger freshly grated or paste
1 tablespoon fresh lemongrass chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt and pepper each

Optional Marinade Ingredients (for added flavor)

1 shallot finely chopped
3 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tbsp garlic
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon

For garnish

cilantro to taste (optional)
1 lime sliced or wedged

Optional Sauce

¼ cup nuoc cham dipping sauce

Instructions

Make marinade. In a bowl, whisk together lime juice, oil, soy sauce, coconut milk, Sriracha sauce, brown sugar, ginger, chopped lemongrass, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
Add optional shallot, fish sauce, garlic, and bouillon, if desired. These add additional flavor but aren't required.
Marinate chicken. Add chicken thighs to bowl. Toss to coat with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and the chicken to tenderize.
Grill chicken. Preheat grill to medium-high heat, around 375-400°F. Make sure the grill grates are clean and lightly oiled to prevent sticking.
Optional: Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes. This helps the chicken cook more evenly but isn't required.
Once grill is hot, place chicken thighs on the grill without touching and cook for 6-8 minutes per side, or until they are cooked through and have nice grill marks.
Once cooked through, remove chicken from grill and let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
Garnish and serve. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and add lime slices for garnish, if desired. Add nuoc cham dipping sauce if desired.
Serve hot with steamed rice, sesame noodles, salad, and/or vegetables.

Notes

TIP: I like to set aside some of the marinade before adding the chicken to use as sauce. I heat it up in a pan and drizzle it on top of the grilled chicken and rice before serving.
To ensure the chicken is fully cooked, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of 165°F.
Allow the grilled chicken to rest for a few minutes after removing it from the grill. This helps redistribute the juices throughout the meat, ensuring a juicy and tender texture.

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