Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken Stir-Fried Vermicelli

Name: Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken Stir-Fried Vermicelli
Prep time: 28 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 1 lb (454 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and sliced against the grain into ¼-inch (6 mm) thick strips about 2 inches (5 cm) long; 3 stalks (90 g) lemongrass stalks, tough outer layers and green tops removed, lower 4–5 inches (10–12 cm) of the pale part very finely minced (about 3 tablespoons / 30 g); 3 cloves (12 g) garlic, finely minced; 1 medium (40 g) medium shallot, finely minced; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fish sauce; 2 teaspoons (8 g) granulated sugar; ½ teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil (such as canola or avocado); 8 oz (225 g) dried thin rice vermicelli; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) neutral oil (such as canola or avocado), divided: 1 teaspoon for the soaked noodles, 1 tablespoon for the chicken, 1 tablespoon for the vegetables, 2 teaspoons for the noodles; 1 medium (100 g) medium carrot, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks about 2 inches (5 cm) long; 4 whole (60 g) scallions, white and green parts separated, both thinly sliced; 2 cloves (8 g) garlic, thinly sliced; 2 cups (150 g) fresh bean sprouts, rinsed and well drained; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fish sauce; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) light soy sauce; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 1 large lime; 1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water; ¼ cup (35 g) roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped; ½ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped; ¼ cup (8 g) fresh mint leaves, torn or roughly chopped; 1 whole (70 g) lime, cut into 4 wedges; 1 whole (3 g) red Thai chili, thinly sliced, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Thin rice vermicelli tossed in a hot wok with fragrant lemongrass-marinated chicken, crisp carrots, bean sprouts and scallions, then finished with a tangy fish sauce and lime dressing and a shower of roasted peanuts and fresh herbs.

Prep: 28 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: 4 generous main-course servings (about 2 cups / 330 g each)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the lemongrass chicken
1 lb (454 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and sliced against the grain into ¼-inch (6 mm) thick strips about 2 inches (5 cm) long
3 stalks (90 g) lemongrass stalks, tough outer layers and green tops removed, lower 4–5 inches (10–12 cm) of the pale part very finely minced (about 3 tablespoons / 30 g)
3 cloves (12 g) garlic, finely minced
1 medium (40 g) medium shallot, finely minced
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fish sauce
2 teaspoons (8 g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil (such as canola or avocado)
For the noodles and vegetables
8 oz (225 g) dried thin rice vermicelli
3 tablespoons (45 ml) neutral oil (such as canola or avocado), divided: 1 teaspoon for the soaked noodles, 1 tablespoon for the chicken, 1 tablespoon for the vegetables, 2 teaspoons for the noodles
1 medium (100 g) medium carrot, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks about 2 inches (5 cm) long
4 whole (60 g) scallions, white and green parts separated, both thinly sliced
2 cloves (8 g) garlic, thinly sliced
2 cups (150 g) fresh bean sprouts, rinsed and well drained
For the sauce
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fish sauce
1 tablespoon (15 ml) light soy sauce
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 1 large lime
1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) water
To finish
¼ cup (35 g) roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
½ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
¼ cup (8 g) fresh mint leaves, torn or roughly chopped
1 whole (70 g) lime, cut into 4 wedges
1 whole (3 g) red Thai chili, thinly sliced, for serving (optional)

Equipment (8)

14-inch (35 cm) carbon steel wok or 12-inch (30 cm) large heavy skillet
Large heatproof bowl for soaking noodles
Colander
Medium bowl for marinating
Small bowl for the sauce
Sharp knife and cutting board
Tongs or long chopsticks
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Chicken needs at least 30 minutes in the marinade (up to 8 hours in the fridge), so start there. Soak the noodles while it marinates.
Stir-frying moves fast. Slice, mince and measure everything, and mix the sauce before you turn on the heat.
Use thin dried rice vermicelli (bún, the round thread-like kind), not flat pad Thai noodles.
Boil a kettle of water for the noodles before you begin.

1
Marinate the chicken
- In a medium bowl, combine the minced lemongrass, garlic_marinade, shallot, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fish sauce, 2 teaspoons sugar, black pepper and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil.
- Add the sliced chicken and massage the mixture into the meat with your hands for about 1 minute.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours.
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Ready when: Chicken is evenly coated and smells strongly of lemongrass
Tip: Mince lemongrass as finely as you can; coarse pieces turn woody and unpleasant to chew.
2
Soak the noodles
- While the chicken marinates, place the vermicelli in a large heatproof bowl and cover with freshly boiled water by 1 inch (2.5 cm).
- Soak for 6–8 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the noodles are tender but still slightly chewy.
- Drain in a colander, rinse well under cold water to stop the cooking, and drain thoroughly.
- Toss with 1 teaspoon of the cooking oil and snip once or twice with scissors so the strands are manageable.
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Ready when: Noodles are opaque white, bend easily and have a slight chew when bitten, with no hard core
Tip: Err on the side of undersoaked; they finish softening in the wok and oversoaked noodles turn mushy and clump.
3
Mix the sauce
- In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, 1 tablespoon sugar and the water until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Taste: it should be salty, sour and sweet in balance, and a little strong since it will season the whole pan of noodles.
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Ready when: No sugar granules remain at the bottom of the bowl
4
Prep vegetables and garnish
- Cut the carrot into matchsticks, slice the scallions (keep whites and greens in separate piles), slice the garlic_stirfry, chop the peanuts, cilantro and mint, cut the lime into wedges and slice the chili if using.
- Line everything up beside the stove.
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Tip: Pat the bean sprouts dry after rinsing; extra water will steam the stir-fry instead of searing it.
5
Sear the chicken
- Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat for 1–2 minutes until it just begins to smoke.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil and swirl.
- Add half the chicken in a single layer and let it sear undisturbed for 1 minute, then stir-fry for 1½–2 minutes more.
- Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken (add a splash more oil only if the pan looks dry).
- Return all the chicken to the plate.
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Ready when: Chicken is golden brown at the edges, opaque throughout and reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest piece
Tip: Cooking in two batches keeps the pan hot so the chicken browns rather than stews. Don't scrape the browned bits out of the pan; they flavor the noodles.
6
Stir-fry the vegetables
- Reduce the heat to medium-high.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil, then the scallion whites, sliced garlic and carrots.
- Stir-fry for 1½ minutes until the garlic smells fragrant and the carrots are barely tender but still crisp.
- Add the bean sprouts and toss for 30 seconds.
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Ready when: Garlic is fragrant but not browned; carrots are bright orange and crisp-tender
Tip: If the garlic starts to darken, lift the pan off the heat briefly; burnt garlic turns bitter.
7
Toss noodles with sauce
- Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and the drained noodles to the pan.
- Pour the sauce over and toss constantly with tongs, lifting from the bottom, for about 2 minutes until the noodles have absorbed the liquid and are hot and tender.
- Return the chicken and any juices on the plate to the pan, add the scallion greens, and toss for 30 seconds more to combine and heat through.
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Ready when: No pooled liquid remains in the pan, and noodles are tender, glossy and evenly seasoned
Tip: If noodles stick or clump, splash in 1–2 tablespoons water and keep tossing.
8
Garnish and serve
- Divide the noodles among four warm bowls or plates.
- Top each with chopped peanuts, cilantro, mint and a little sliced chili if using.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing over.
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Tip: Add herbs and peanuts at the table, not in the pan, to keep them fresh and crunchy.

Good to know

Tips

Slice chicken thighs while slightly firm (15 minutes in the freezer helps) for thin, even strips that cook in minutes.
Keep the pan very hot and do not crowd it; searing, not steaming, gives the chicken its caramelized edges.
Rinsing the soaked noodles in cold water removes surface starch, which is what prevents clumping.
Taste before serving and adjust with a squeeze of lime for brightness or a splash of fish sauce for salt.

Make ahead

"Marinate the chicken up to 8 hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Soak, drain and oil the noodles up to 4 hours ahead and keep covered at room temperature. Mix the sauce up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Stir-fry just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Best eaten right away. Refrigerate leftovers (without herbs and peanuts) in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Not recommended for freezing, as the noodles turn mushy. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with 1–2 tablespoons water, tossing 3–4 minutes until steaming hot (chicken reheated to 165°F/74°C), or microwave covered in 60-second bursts. Re-garnish with fresh herbs, peanuts and lime."

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken thighs → boneless, skinless chicken breast. Slice thinly and cook just until opaque, about 1 minute less per batch, to avoid drying it out. Pork loin or shrimp also work.
lemongrass stalks → 2 tablespoons jarred or frozen minced lemongrass plus 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest. Fresh gives the best aroma, but this is a reasonable stand-in.
fish sauce → additional light soy sauce plus 1 teaspoon extra lime juice. Less funky and complex; for a fully vegetarian version use tofu in place of the chicken.
roasted unsalted peanuts → roasted cashews or crispy fried shallots. Chop cashews coarsely; use shallots for crunch if there is a nut allergy.