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Home Quick and Easy

Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken

By Nagi Maehashi
593 Comments
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Published19 Oct '19 Updated9 May '25
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Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken (Bun Ga Nuong) is one of my signature dishes! Vermicelli noodles topped with fresh vegetables and herbs, an incredible lemongrass marinated chicken  and drizzled with Nuoc Cham, the chilli garlic sauce that’s served with everything in Vietnam!

Easy enough for midweek meals, and a sensational CHEAP meal idea for large groups! Either cook the chicken in large batches on the BBQ, or even bake them, and put out all the toppings in bowls for people to help themselves!

Close up of Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass marinated chicken in a bowl, ready to be eaten

Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken

This is a recipe that has many fond memories associated with it because it’s one of my signature recipes that I make as a meal for large groups. Other than how delicious it is (and the Vietnamese lemongrass marinade really is exceptional!), here’s why it’s one of my all time favourite recipes:

  • it’s cheap and simple to make

  • can be fully prepared ahead (including the noodles and chopping the vegetables)

  • it’s gluten free (cater for dietary requirements)

  • healthy

  • versatile – use the same marinade for tofu, prawns/shrimp, fish, other meats

  • easy to serve a crowd – chicken can be cooked in large batches on the BBQ, or even baked

  • no assembly – lay all the components out on the table for people to help themselves

Camping, on boats, weekends away, hen’s night – these Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken has made an appearance at many events!

Overhead photo of Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken DIY spread - meal idea for large groups

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

The entire Vietnamese noodle bowl as a whole is so delicious, but I have to say that the Lemongrass Chicken is the stand out. The marinade is fantastic. The earthy lemony flavour from the lemongrass combined with the garlic and complex savoury flavours from the fish sauce and soy sauce makes a killer flavour that will have your neighbours popping their heads over the fence if you cook this on the outdoor grill!

Close up of Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

What goes in Lemongrass Chicken

Here’s what goes in the Lemongrass Chicken.

Fresh lemongrass is best here, but if you can’t find it, then lemongrass paste works very well too.

I know some people aren’t a fan of fish sauce which is quite pungent smelling in raw form! But it’s really the “secret ingredient” here, it’s got far more complex flavours than soy sauce and adds incredible depth of flavour in the chicken. And don’t worry, it doesn’t taste fishy once cooked!

This Vietnamese lemongrass marinade is truly incredible. Everybody raves about it!

Substitute for fish sauce?

If you’re allergic to fish sauce, or really can’t get your hands on it (but please try!!), then substitute the fish sauce with more soy sauce but be aware that your marinade will lack the complexity of flavour in real Vietnamese Lemongrass marinades.

What goes in Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

Toppings and sauce

And here are the toppings for this Vietnamese Noodles bowl. Lots of fresh vegetables and herbs, and Nuoc Cham, the Vietnamese chilli garlic sauce that makes an appearance alongside everything in Vietnam (I exaggerate not!!).

Nuoc Cham is made with fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, chilli, sugar and lime juice. It’s got a wonderful balance of sweet/savoury and tang, and basically makes everything taste better – whether you drizzle or dunk things in it!

Feel free to switch up the fresh vegetables! Try snow peas, cabbage, capsicum/bell peppers and other crunchy fresh greens!

Fresh vegetables and herbs for Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken

How to make it

The making part is very straight forward. You’ll see me cook the chicken on a grill in the video – Lemongrass Chicken is traditionally cooked over charcoal in Vietnam – but you can of course cook it on the stove or even in the oven or under the broiler!

How to make Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken

Overhead photo of Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken in a bowl, ready to be eaten

This Vietnamese dish is healthy eating without compromise!

To me, these Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken is the epitome of healthy eating without compromise. Low in fat, lots of fresh salads brought to life with bright zingy flavours. The Nuoc Cham sauce has so much flavour, you can scoff down loads of the salad and go light on the chicken and noodles if you’re really wanting to cut down on the calories.

And one last tip – the marinated lemongrass chicken is perfect for popping in the freezer. So make a batch right now!! 🙂 – Nagi x


Watch how to make it

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Close up of Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass marinated chicken in a bowl, ready to be eaten

Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken

Author: Nagi
Prep: 20 minutes mins
Cook: 10 minutes mins
Total: 30 minutes mins
Noodles
Vietnamese
4.99 from 227 votes
Servings4
Tap or hover to scale
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Recipe video above. This Vietnamese lemongrass marinade is exceptional – you'll absolutely love it! This is one of my siganture recipes – it's as delicious as it is healthy, ideal for making ahead, for midweek meals and a cheap (impressive) meal idea for large groups. DON'T BE DAUNTED by the list of ingredients – the ingredients for the marinade and sauce are largely the same!

Ingredients

Chicken and Marinade

  • 600 – 800g / 1.2 – 1.6lb chicken thigh fillets , skinless and boneless or breast (or pork, beef or any seafood)
  • 1 stalk lemongrass , white part only, bruised them sliced into pieces easy to pick out later (Note 1)
  • 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped or minced
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce (Note 2)
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce (all purpose or light, NOT dark soy)
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Sauce)

  • 1/4 cup fish sauce (Note 3)
  • 4 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp white sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
  • 1 red birds eye chilli , finely chopped (Note 4)
  • 3 tbsp lime juice

Noodle Bowl

  • 1/2 tbsp oil
  • 200 g / 7 oz vermicelli noodles , dried
  • 2 carrots , julienned
  • 2 cucumbers , julienned (optional: remove seeds)
  • 5 cups iceberg lettuce , finely sliced
  • 3 cups bean sprouts
  • Handful of mint leaves
  • Handful of cilantro/coriander
  • Sliced red chilli (for garnish – optional)
  • Lime wedges (to serve – optional but recommended)
Prevent screen from sleeping

Instructions

Lemongrass Chicken

  • Combine Chicken and Marinade ingredients and set aside for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours. (Note 4)
  • Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a fry pan over medium heat (or heat the BBQ). Remove chicken from marinade, shaking off large bits of lemongrass (small bits should fall off during cooking).
  • Place chicken in the pan and cook each side until dark golden brown and chicken is just cooked through – about 6 to 8 minutes in total.
  • Remove from pan, shaking off any remaining bits of visible lemongrass and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Then slice into thin pieces.

Nuoc Cham Sauce

  • Combine the Nuoc Cham ingredients and mix well to dissolve the sugar. Adjust to your taste (spiciness, lime, sweetness) and set aside for at least 20 minutes.

Assemble

  • Soak the vermicelli noodles in hot water for 3 minutes (or according to packet instructions), then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the noodles from sticking together.
  • Individual servings: Place noodles in bowl. Top with vegetables and herbs, and sliced chicken pieces. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of Nuoc Cham Sauce (be generous, ~ 4 tbsp per serving) and serve with lime wedges.
  • DIY (my preferred way): Place chicken, vegetables, herbs, noodles and sauce in separate bowls / piled on platters. Then let everyone make their own bowls!

Recipe Notes:

1. Lemongrass – to prepare, peel the tough outer layers off to reveal the softer white part on the bottom ~1/3 of the lemongrass. Bruise using the back of the knife (see video). Don’t slice too finely or finely chop, you want the pieces large enough so you can just brush them off (lemongrass is kind of tough, it has to be very finely chopped / cooked for a long time to eat).
You could sub with 1 tbsp lemongrass paste.
2. Fish sauce is a key ingredient in a lot of Asian cooking. Don’t worry, it doesn’t taste fishy when combined with other ingredients! It’s an incredible flavour enhancer that has more depth than salt or soy sauce and is very cheap to buy at supermarkets or Asian grocery stores (even better value!).
3. Chilli –This can be substituted with any spicy chilli or even chilli paste. Adjust to your taste.
4. CUSTOMISE:
  • Make this kid friendly by just serving the chilli on the side.
  • To make it GLUTEN FREE, ensure you use GF tamari.
  • Sub the vegetables with other vegetables of choice eg. capsicum/bell peppers, snow peas (finely sliced)
5. Freezing: Pop the chicken in the fridge as soon as it’s in the marinade. Then let it defrost in the fridge – it will marinate during this time.
6. DIY Noodle Bowl Spread: Pile all the components on a large platter or separate bowls and let guests serve themselves. That’s how I typically serve this.
7. Nutrition per serving.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 653gCalories: 540cal (27%)Carbohydrates: 65.2g (22%)Protein: 39.9g (80%)Fat: 13.6g (21%)Saturated Fat: 2.6g (16%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 75mg (25%)Sodium: 1963mg (85%)Fiber: 3.9g (16%)Sugar: 16.9g (19%)
Keywords: lemongrass chicken, vietnamese noodles
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

Originally published January 2017, updated October 2019 with a brand new spruced up video and new photos!

Get your Vietnamese food fix!

  • Bun Cha – Vietnamese Meatballs

  • Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls

  • Vietnamese Caramel Pork – another iconic Vietnamese food! Also see the Chicken version.

  • Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls – the super quick version of the above

  • Vietnamese Noodle Salad with Shrimp/Prawns

  • Vietnamese Chicken Salad

  • Browse all Vietnamese recipes

And more of my favourite Asian Chicken marinades

All these are ideal for grilling but can also be cooked on the stove

  • Real Teriyaki Chicken –  on my mother’s Japanese recipe website, RecipeTin Japan. Crispy skin, no oil – way better than westernised versions!

  • Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang) – marinated in a fragrant Thai marinade

  • Thai Coconut Chicken – added richness and flavour from a coconut marinade

  • Asian Chicken – marinated in a great Asian marinade that’s sweet sand savoury

  • Sticky Baked Chinese Chicken Wings – use this marinade on breast and thighs!

  • Chinese Chicken (Char Siu!) – Chinese BBQ chicken


Life of Dozer

Yes, that’s the tripod that holds my camera worth several thousand dollars…..don’t stand up Dozer!!!

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Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken (Bun Ga Nuong) - The popular Vietnamese dish made with Vermicelli noodles topped with fresh vegetables, lemongrass marinated chicken and drizzled with Nuoc Cham. Absolutely lip smackingly delicious! recipetineats.com
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593 Comments

  1. Suzy says

    March 2, 2019 at 4:12 am

    Was really a hit with my partner ! Thanks! I couldn’t cook much but have learned in the last few years!
    Really need to be able to find your recipes easier. I want to search for the spaghetti with meatballs recipe but cannot find it now..?!!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 2, 2019 at 1:04 pm

      Hi Suzy, I’m so glad you’re loving cooking my recipes! If you type Spaghetti into the search bar the recipe should pop up for you ☺️

      Reply
  2. Stacey says

    February 26, 2019 at 1:44 pm

    5 stars
    Very yummy. Substituted chicken for prawns. Will definitely make again!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 27, 2019 at 9:49 am

      Perfect 🙌🙌

      Reply
  3. Chris says

    February 24, 2019 at 4:34 pm

    Are the noodles served cold ?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 25, 2019 at 8:19 am

      Hi Chris, yes they are, you cook them and rinse under cold water ❤️

      Reply
  4. Sumara says

    February 23, 2019 at 12:52 pm

    5 stars
    Any instructions for baking the chicken with marinaded. Planning on making it with chicken breast. Love your recipes

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 23, 2019 at 1:44 pm

      Hi Sumara, I would pound the breast out to be no thicker then 1.5cm at the thickest part, cook in at oven at 425F/220C (standard) or 390F/200C (fan / convection) for around 18 minutes. I hope you love it!

      Reply
  5. Margot Tugwell says

    February 20, 2019 at 3:41 pm

    5 stars
    Nagi – I love this recipe! I’ve made it twice now in the last few weeks – so fresh and healthy – it is now one of my firm favourites. Thanks SO much! Cheers Margot

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 8, 2019 at 6:01 pm

      PS Tried this with zero cal noodles yet??!! I can’t… I can’t!!! 😂

      Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 20, 2019 at 8:54 pm

      Greta Margot, that’s so good to hear!

      Reply
  6. Jan says

    February 12, 2019 at 9:17 pm

    5 stars
    I made this yesterday and luckily there’s some left for my lunch today! It was delicious and even my son who never comments said so. Even though it’s winter here in England it was a fantastic meal. Thanks Nagi x

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 13, 2019 at 10:33 am

      That’s great to hear Jan, thanks so much for letting me know ❤️

      Reply
  7. Becca says

    February 5, 2019 at 6:07 pm

    Hi Nagi,

    As I’m vegetarian I would need to sub out the fish sauce. I noticed that you said you just use soy sauce– in the marinade should you use 3 tbsp of soy sauce (the 2 tbsp sub and 1 tbsp called for), or would you reduce to just 2 as it can make a dish really salty.

    I also noticed another comment using a soy sauce and teriyaki blend. What do you think is the best substitute?

    Thanks!

    Becca

    Reply
    • Vanessa says

      November 14, 2019 at 10:40 am

      5 stars
      Vegan Fish Sauce
      -2 tbsp tamari
      -2 tbsp coconut sugar
      -1/4 cup pineapple juice
      -1/4 cup warm water
      Whisk all ingredients together. I use this when making vegan Kimchi. Might work well with this dish. Going to try it out!

      Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 5, 2019 at 7:08 pm

      Hi Becca, It’s hard because fish sauce is key in Vietnamese cooking and there’s nothing quite like it. I have seen vegan fish sauce available (but I’ve never tried it) – N x

      Reply
      • Becca says

        February 7, 2019 at 3:40 pm

        Thanks for the speedy response! I use vegan Worcestershire sauce in any recipe that calls for it and no one has ever noticed a difference, so hopefully the vegan fish sauce will work the same (I suppose I’ll never really know though as I’ve never eaten actual fish sauce).

        Thank you for all the AMAZING recipes Nagi! 🙂

        Reply
        • Nagi says

          February 8, 2019 at 10:58 am

          That’s so great to hear!

          Reply
        • Becca says

          February 7, 2019 at 3:45 pm

          And I love that pic of Dozer! What a cutie! How did he manage to get under there without knocking it over? Such clever little creatures aren’t they?

          Reply
  8. Kim says

    February 1, 2019 at 6:26 pm

    5 stars
    This marinade is to die for. Totally delicious and fresh summer dinner. One query, recipe for dipping sauce states white sugar but video states, and shows, brown.

    Reply
  9. Ree says

    January 24, 2019 at 2:19 pm

    Is Rice Vinegar the same as Rice Wine Vinegar? Can you please show me which one you use? I cannot wait to make this.
    Thank you! x

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 24, 2019 at 2:43 pm

      Hi Ree, yes thats the same! Any brand is fine to use ❤️

      Reply
      • Ree says

        January 24, 2019 at 3:06 pm

        Thanks so much. I thought so! 🙂

        I am loving you’re Asian recipes. Makes me never want to buy a jar again. I always thought I had to get a lot of things from Asian grocers making it hard for me, but I was wrong. You make it so simple. Thank you!!

        Reply
        • Nagi says

          January 25, 2019 at 6:14 am

          You can definitely make Asian food at home with minimal ingredients, once you start you won’t look back!!!

          Reply
  10. Zerika says

    January 19, 2019 at 1:52 pm

    5 stars
    I tried making this for my family, a winner!! So tasty and refreshing!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 19, 2019 at 8:01 pm

      I’m so glad you love it!

      Reply
  11. Niole says

    January 14, 2019 at 10:45 pm

    Omg I tried this recipe! Perfect to a tea. Thanks for sharing

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 15, 2019 at 1:32 pm

      Awesome!!

      Reply
  12. Mim says

    October 18, 2018 at 12:20 am

    Thanks – great recipe! How long will the nuoc Cham keep in the fridge?

    Reply
  13. nick says

    October 11, 2018 at 10:15 pm

    wow! just wanted to let you know how much fun i had making this meal. so delicious, my wife and i were so impressed! thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 12, 2018 at 12:28 pm

      That’s terrific to hear Nick! Glad you enjoyed this! N x

      Reply
  14. Lisa says

    October 11, 2018 at 7:03 am

    there is no sugar amount in the Nuoc Cham sauce…? But you mention it in the comments and also in the video ( show it being put in). Can you please confirm how much sugar ? Thank you 🙂

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 12, 2018 at 12:57 pm

      Hi Lisa! It’s the 3rd line under the Nuoc Cham 🙂 N x

      Reply
  15. Maryen says

    September 22, 2018 at 6:15 am

    How can I make this low sodium? Kind of don’t want to eat all my daily sodium in one meal.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 24, 2018 at 11:35 pm

      Try halving the soy sauce and fish sauce. To be honest, the sodium in the nutrition will be far over because it adds up all the ingredients as is but it doesn’t take into account how much is actually absorbed into the chicken 🙂

      Reply
  16. Carly says

    August 28, 2018 at 10:05 pm

    5 stars
    ‘Packed with flavour!’ Was Mr Carnivore’s comment. 😄 He was genuinely impressed and pleased to have plenty left over for lunch too.
    I made a vego version for me, with marinated tofu and a soy sauce/teriyaki dressing (fish sauce is too fishy for me).
    Oh and we garnished with fried shallots and toasted slivered almonds. Yum!

    Reply
  17. Anne Marie says

    August 21, 2018 at 1:23 pm

    Just made this for my parents and we loved it! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I will definitely make this again.

    Reply
  18. Debbie says

    August 8, 2018 at 2:52 pm

    5 stars
    I made the lemon grass chicken tonight with all the trimmings. Definitely a huge hit with the family. I cooked the marinated chicken breasts on the grill. Perfect! Will make this again and again!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      August 8, 2018 at 9:26 pm

      Terrific to hear you enjoyed this!! Thanks Debbie! N x

      Reply
  19. Kerry Mooney says

    August 7, 2018 at 8:28 am

    Recipies look fantastic- excited to try them out with both chicken and shrimp

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      August 8, 2018 at 9:43 pm

      Hope you get a chance!

      Reply
  20. katherine says

    July 24, 2018 at 6:51 am

    5 stars
    my comment did not show—

    Reply
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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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