Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 stalk fresh lemongrass
- 1 shallot, coarsely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp canola oil, divided
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
For the Dipping Sauce
- ⅓ cup boiling water
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- 3 tbsp lime juice (or more to taste)
- 1 garlic clove, smashed and finely chopped
- 1 Thai bird’s eye chili, finely minced
For the Pickled Daikon/Carrots
- 1 cup, peeled and julienned carrots
- 1 cup, peeled and julienned daikon radish
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white vinegar
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
To Assemble
- 1 package rice vermicelli, cooked to package instructions, rinsed in cold water and drained
- 1 cup julienned cucumbers
- 1 cup thinly sliced lettuce
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves
- ½ cup chopped roasted peanuts
Directions
- Slice off the root of the lemongrass, and discard. Then thinly slice the first 2 inches from the root, and place in a mini-food processor followed by the shallot, and garlic. Process until finely ground. Add the fish sauce, 1 tbsp canola oil, brown sugar, black pepper, and kosher salt. Blend until fairly smooth.
- Place the chicken thighs in a bowl, and cover with the marinade. Mix well to coat. Then cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes to 8 hours.
- Heat a grill pan/frying pan on medium heat and add the remaining 1 tbsp of canola oil. Once hot, scrape off any excess marinade from the chicken and lay it into the pan, ensuring not to crowd the pan. Cook for 5-6 minutes on each side or until browned, and completely cooked through to the middle. Remove from the pan, and rest for 10 minutes. Then slice.
- To prepare the dressing, add the boiling water, sugar, and fish sauce to a small bowl. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Then add the garlic, lime juice, and chilis. Mix well.
- To prepare the pickles, place the julienned carrots and daikon radish in a bowl. Add the water, vinegar, sugar and salt to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer to dissolve the sugar. Then pour over the vegetables. Let the pickles cool to room temperature.
- To assemble, arrange the cooked rice noodles on the base of a bowl and top with the grilled chicken, cucumber, lettuce, mint leaves, and roasted peanuts.
- Pour some of the dipping sauce over top before serving. Enjoy!
