Air Fryer Lemongrass Chicken

Overhead shot of lemongrass chicken pieces on plate with small bowl of sauce.

Course: Main Dish - Chicken

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 12

Marinating Time: 4

Total Time: 4 22

Servings: people

Calories: 430kcal

Author: Platings and Pairings

This Air Fryer Lemongrass Chicken recipe packs in big flavors thanks to the easy marinade and tangy Nuoc Cham Sauce. Fragrant lemongrass and zesty lime juice coat the chicken with a delicious glaze that’s perfect served with a side of rice.

Print Recipe

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds chicken thighs boneless skinless
3 green onions grilled or broiled - optional

Marinade:

1 stalk lemongrass white part only, finely chopped***
4 cloves garlic grated or minced
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 Tablespoon fish sauce
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar

For Serving:

Mint, Cilantro, Rice, Noodles, etc.

Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce:

3 Tablespoons lime juice
2 Tablespoons fish sauce
1 ½ Tablespoons sugar
2 cloves garlic grated or minced
1 Thai chili finely chopped (or to taste)

Instructions

Chicken:

In a bowl, whisk together the lemongrass, garlic, pepper, oil, lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar.
Put chicken in a large ziploc bag and add marinade. Place in refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours.

Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce:

In a small bowl, combine the Nuoc Cham ingredients and mix well to dissolve the sugar. Adjust to taste with additional lime juice, chilis, sugar, etc. Set aside for at least 20 minutes. Or, store for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

Air Fry:

Preheat air fryer to 360-degrees.
Arrange chicken in a single layer and air fry for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

OR Grill Chicken:

Preheat grill to medium-high heat (around 350-degrees). Remove chicken from marinade and shake off any extra marinade. Place on the grill grates. Let chicken cook for 5-6 minutes with the grill cover closed to maintain the heat. Use tongs to flip the chicken thighs. Cook for an additional 5-6 minutes. Use a digital thermometer to make sure the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
While the chicken is grilling, I like to throw a few green onions onto the grill. Once they are charred, thinly slice them and add them to the Nuoc Cham sauce.

OR Broil:

Set the oven rack to the top position, about 3-4 inches away from the element, and preheat the broiler on high for 5 minutes. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the chicken on top.
Broil the chicken for 7-10 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
While the chicken is broiling, I like to char a few green onions as well. Add them to the baking sheet with the chicken during the final few minutes of cook time. Once they are charred, thinly slice them and add them to the Nuoc Cham sauce.

Notes

*** To cut lemongrass, first remove the knobby end of the stalk and cut it in half lengthwise. Remove the tough outer leaves and find the inner tender flesh (it should pierce easily with your fingernail). Then, finely chop that tender inner section. You can also SUBSTITUTE with 1 TBSP lemongrass paste.

Tips and Variations

If you aren’t sure if the chicken thighs are cooked, use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature. Boneless chicken thighs are fully cooked when their internal temperature reads 165ºF.
If you’d like less spice, you can leave out the Thai chili, or substitute a seeded, diced jalapeno in its place.
If you really like spice, you can add more Thai chilis, or try adding in a minced habanero pepper.
You can make this recipe with chicken breasts, legs, wings, or any cut of chicken you prefer.
You can also make chicken skewers. Simply cut the chicken into cubes and marinate it. Then, thread it onto wooden skewers and grill.
You can also make lemongrass beef by substituting the chicken with thinly sliced beef that you marinate and thread onto skewers.

Nutrition