Lemongrass Chicken

Succulent and juicy, my lemongrass chicken is an easy Thai-inspired chicken dish brimming with loads of mouthwatering flavor. Chicken thighs are marinated in an aromatic combination of fresh lemongrass, ginger, lime, garlic, a dash of fish sauce and brown sugar for vibrant flavor, making this lemongrass chicken recipe perfect served over jasmine rice!

A Thai-inspired Lemongrass Chicken Dish

Skin-on and bone-in chicken thighs are a staple that I often like to pick up while on a market run, just to keep on hand.

They're so very versatile, and can relatively quickly and easily be prepared to become a truly delicious, rustic and flavorful dish when one's craving a meal that's cozy and comforting.

Having a hankering for a Thai-inspired chicken dish recently, I turned my pack of chicken thighs into this mouthwatering, aromatic, succulent and juicy lemongrass chicken recipe, absolutely brimming with those vibrant flavors that Thai cuisine is known for...

Prepared with a simple-yet-deeply flavorful marinade made up of light soy sauce, freshly minced lemongrass, ginger, garlic, a hint of savory fish sauce for umami flavor, plus a touch of lime juice and brown sugar for balance, this lemongrass chicken satisfies to the core.

Baked until deeply bronzed and glossy, my recipe for lemongrass chicken takes simple chicken thighs to the next level when served with aromatic jasmine rice and a side of sliced chili garlic cucumber, or sweet, fresh mango when in season.

My Recipe for Lemongrass Chicken

For this chicken thigh recipe, marination is the key to all that great flavor…

The marinade is very quick and easy to whisk up, and then pour over top of the skin-on and bone-in chicken thighs that I place into a large ziplock bag for convenience.

To impart the most amount of flavor to the chicken, I marinade it overnight, or even up to two days. You should allow for at least two to four hours of marination at minimum.

The longer you marinate, the more deeply the ingredients will penetrate the chicken thighs, and the more delicious the flavor will be!

Then, all that's left is to roast the thighs until they have a deeply browned, almost lacquered look, and the meat becomes delectably tender and juicy.

Here's a sneak peek at my lemongrass chicken recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I prepare my marinade and place my chicken thighs into a large ziplock bag. I pour the marinade over the chicken and massage it in for a moment of two, then place the bag into the fridge to allow the meat marinate overnight, or even a couple of days, if possible.
2. When ready to prepare, I crank up my oven to a nice, hot temp, remove my chicken thighs from the marinade allowing the excess to drip off, and roast for roughly 45 minutes, until the chicken is deeply bronzed and juicy.
3. I serve with my favorite side, typically jasmine rice and fresh mango or chili garlic cucumber slices.

Recipe

Lemongrass Chicken

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This juicy lemongrass chicken is marinated in a flavorful combination of Thai-inspired ingredients for lots of mouthwatering flavor!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: Thai-American

Yield: Serves 6

Nutrition Info: 292 calories (per chicken thigh)

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup light or traditional soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons finely minced lemongrass (about 2 to 3 stalks)
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
• 8 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• 2 teaspoons freshly-grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 6 chicken thighs, skin-on and bone-in
• Green green onion or cilantro, for garnish
• Lime wedges, for garnish

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. In a small bowl, prepare your marinade by whisking together the soy sauce, lemongrass, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, chili garlic sauce, garlic cloves, ginger and lime zest until very well blended. Set aside for a moment.
3. Place your chicken thighs into a large ziplock bag, and pour the marinade over them, massaging the marinade into the chicken. Zip the bag closed, and place into a bowl or large platter to hold, and allow to marinate overnight (even two nights), or at least 2 to 4 hours.
4. Once the chicken has marinated, preheat your oven to 425°, line a baking sheet with foil, and place a wire rack over this, if you have one.
5. Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade, allowing the excess to drip off, and lightly scrape off any bits of lemongrass so that the skin is fairly smooth. Place the chicken pieces onto the wire rack, and into the oven to roast/bake for 30 minutes.
6. After 30 minutes, turn down your oven to 350°, and allow the lemongrass chicken to continue to roast for 10 to 15 minutes more, until cooked through and the skin is deeply browned and glossy/lacquered looking. Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes.
7. To serve, place the lemongrass chicken onto a platter, sprinkle over green onion or cilantro, and tuck lime wedges around, if desired. Serve with your favorite side such as jasmine or coconut rice, and fresh mango or cucumber slices on the side.

Tips & Tidbits for my Lemongrass Chicken recipe:

• Skin-on and bone-in chicken thighs: For this recipe, I like to use chicken thighs with the skin on and bone in for optimum flavor. As the chicken roasts in the oven, the skin becomes crispy and dark, and the bone adds more flavor as well. If you prefer to use skinless and boneless thighs, I recommend grilling them rather than roasting after marination for a quicker process, so they remain more tender and juicy.
• Marination is key for flavor: This is one of those recipes that only benefits from an extended marination time. I recommend at least 4 hours, but ideally overnight, or even two days. The meat just absorbs all the flavor, and becomes wonderfully succulent and juicy.
• What to serve with lemongrass chicken: You could serve this chicken very simply over a salad, or do as I do and serve it with jasmine rice and a side of chili garlic cucumber slices or fresh mango, when in season—so tasty!

Craving more mouthwatering Asian-inspired recipes? Check out this Vietnamese Fried Chicken, these Banh Mi sandwiches, this Beef Stir Fry, this Spicy Pork with Noodles, this Beef Fried Rice, or this Pineapple Chicken!